Comunicados de Prensa

04-Sep-2008

Zinpro Corp. Announces ‘First and Only’
Complexed Trace Minerals 4-Plex®E and ZINPRO®E Listed by OMRI
For Use In Certified Organic Feed Formulations

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (Sept. 4, 2008) – Zinpro Corporation recently announced the addition of two new products – 4-Plex®E and ZINPRO®E – which are officially listed under the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) as allowed for use in the production of organic foods including milk, meat and eggs.

With this new listing and designation, 4-Plex-E and ZINPRO-E have successfully completed the OMRI Product Review process and are assigned the OMRI status of “allowed for use” as an input to a certified organic product.

“We’re proud to be the first and only organic trace mineral manufacturer to receive this OMRI Listing designation,” says Joseph Carrica, Vice President Sales and Marketing, Zinpro Corporation. “Zinpro Corporation has long-prided itself on taking all the proper steps relating to product quality, manufacturing processes and product assurance. This once again underscores our commitment to meeting the diverse and ever-evolving needs of the feed industry.”

“Our U.S. customers using these newly OMRI-listed ingredients will reduce their time and expenses on product approval, as OMRI has already completed their review,” adds Carrica. “In addition, this OMRI listing covers all species groups that Zinpro currently markets organic trace mineral products to, including: dairy, beef, swine, poultry, equine and sheep.”

The OMRI Listing of both 4-Plex-E and ZINPRO-E provides a major advantage over other trace mineral products stating “organic use approval.” Products with “organic use approval” have only been assessed within the context of one feed formulation that is certified organic. If a different feed formulation would include that same product, it would need to be reassessed in order to use the claim “organic use approval.”

4-Plex-E and ZINPRO-E do not require this reassessment, as OMRI has already reviewed and listed these products. Therefore, Zinpro Corporation is able to provide a certificate for feed manufacturers and nutritional consultants, easing the burden of proof.

As the leader in trace mineral nutrition, Zinpro is committed to delivering the products and educational tools needed to help customers improve the performance and profitability of their operation. For more information, visit www.zinpro.com/us or call 952-983-4000.

About 4-Plex-E and ZINPRO-E:

4-Plex-E contains ZINPRO® zinc methionine, MANPRO® manganese methionine, CuPLEX® copper lysine and COPRO® cobalt glucoheptonate in the same organic complex form as 4-Plex. ZINPRO-E contains ZINPRO zinc methionine complex similar to ZINPRO 100. While all base components for 4-Plex-E and ZINPRO-E are similar to 4-Plex and ZINPRO products, certain carriers and amino acids differ. Both 4-Plex-E and ZINPRO-E are now available for purchase in the United States through all standard Zinpro Corporation distribution channels.

About the OMRI Listing:

OMRI is an independent review panel developed by organic certification agencies. As a national nonprofit group founded to support the organic community, OMRI performs the necessary research and technical review process for determining if the material being reviewed is appropriate for use as an input to a certified organic product.

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15 de Abril de 2008
Feet First™ and Sow Lameness: Frequently Asked Questions

What is Feet First?
Feet First is an international collaboration of researchers, veterinarians and nutritionists whose mission is to improve the efficiency of pork production and improve animal well-being through the identification and prevention of lameness.

Why is there a need for Feet First?
Lameness and its effects on swine welfare and production are widely underestimated in commercial operations. Significant production losses caused by lameness may be preventable when proactive steps are taken. Feet First is designed to help fill the information gap so these preventative measures can be identified.

Why has Zinpro Corporation taken the lead in launching Feet First?
Zinpro has long been interested in supporting programs that improve animal welfare and operator profitability. For a number of years, we have proactively educated the dairy industry on the identification and prevention of lameness in dairy cows. And, we have shown how improved trace mineral nutrition plays a major role in preventing lameness.

What are the primary causes of lameness?
Most lameness occurs as a function of pain, with claw lesions routinely being identified as part of that lameness equation. In fact, research has shown claw lesions to be found in 97% of lame sows and 90% of culled sows.

What are the primary consequences of lameness on a sow herd?
When a sow is lame, it leads to lower feed intake (especially during lactation), decreased reproductive performance and ultimately early exit from the herd. All of these consequences decrease productivity and profitability of an operation. According to the Feet First team, more than 15% of sow removals are directly related to lameness. It is also estimated that lameness is a factor in 47% of all removals.

What type of lesions are most prevalent and how can they be identified?

Seven lesions have been identified by the Feet First team as being the most common in commercial swine operations. These include lesions in the following categories: toes; dew claws; heel overgrowth and erosion; heel-sole crack; white line; horizontal wall cracks; and vertical wall cracks.

Heel lesions are more common than any other claw horn lesion, and include heel overgrowth and erosion, deep cracks and fissures, and heel separation.

In addition, the outside heel of both the front and back feet is more severely affected by this issue than the inside heel. This is because the outside claw bears more weight than the inside claw, and it is exposed to a greater amount of concussion and trauma.

Which nutrients are most critical for foot health?

While any imbalance in a nutritional plan can negatively affect sow foot health, a few essential nutrients are especially crucial. These include:

• Manganese for joints, tendons and bone density
• Zinc for sole, heel and wall horn strength, corium health and wound healing
• Copper for sole, heel and wall horn strength, and white line health and connective tissue health
• Biotin for sole, heel, and wall horn strength

For best results, sows should be Availa®Sow from Zinpro Performance Minerals.

What is the difference between the claw and foot of a sow?
The foot is the entire region from the toes to the top of the dew claws. It consists of two non-weight-bearing dew claws, and two weight-bearing digits. Each digit includes the claw and all the claw contents (bones, tendons, blood, fat cells, etc). Most often, the term “claw” describes the keratinized horn (nail) tissue, which consists of hard wall, hard sole and soft heel.

There is a lateral claw (outside) and a medial claw (inside) for each foot. When claw trimming is referenced, it can include the toe, dorsal wall, heel and sole of the foot. An example of how the terms are used may be as follows, “She is lame on her front left foot. On examination, we found a vertical wall crack in her lateral claw. Also, she has heel erosion of the medial claw.”

What is the value of claw horn trimming and why is it necessary?
In today’s commercial sow operations, there isn’t much chance for normal wear to offset horn growth. As a result, overgrowth occurs in the wall and sole of the toe, which shifts weight and stress toward the heels and supporting structures in the back of the foot, such as the flexor tendons. To control overgrowth and help limit lameness, it is necessary to trim the claw to restore normal conformation and weight distribution. In addition, correction of existing claw lesions at this time may further benefit sow performance.

What tools are necessary and what is the process for functional trimming?
The Feet First team has created a simple four-step procedure for functional trimming. This procedure is detailed in a publication and instructional video available from Zinpro Corporation. Necessary trimming equipment includes a sharp hoof knife, nippers, and an angle grinder with coarse sand disc. In addition, proper trimming cannot be done unless the animal is adequately restrained and poses no danger to inflict injury to itself or the trimmer.

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9 de Abril de 2008
Utilizing Functional Trimming to Help Reduce Sow Lameness

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn., (April 4, 2008) – Functional trimming of the claw horn can help reduce the prevalence of lameness in commercial sow herds, leading to improved productivity and animal comfort, according to the Feet FirstTM team.
Feet First is an international collaboration of swine researchers, veterinarians and nutritionists, whose mission is to further advance the swine industry through the identification and prevention of lameness.

Feet First team member, Dr. Sarel van Amstel, DVM and Professor, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, said to control claw horn overgrowth and help limit lameness, it is necessary to trim the claw and restore normal conformation and weight distribution. In addition, existing claw lesions can be identified and treated at this time to further benefit sow performance.

“In today’s commercial swine operations, there isn’t much chance for normal wear to offset horn growth in a sow’s foot,” according to van Amstel. “As a result, overgrowth occurs in the wall and sole region of the toe, leading to weight bearing issues.”

To demonstrate the proper trimming method, Dr. van Amstel and the Feet First team have developed a four-step trimming procedure. This procedure is illustrated in a printed trimming guide and a video available from Zinpro Corporation.

Overgrown claws lead to stress, lesions

As the claw horn on a sow’s foot becomes overgrown, it causes the toe to deviate upwards. This shifts weight and stress toward the heels and supporting structures in the back of the foot, such as the flexor tendons, explained van Amstel. As a result, sow heel lesions are more common than any other claw horn lesion, and include heel overgrowth and erosion, deep cracks and fissures, and heel separation.

In addition, the outside heel of both the front and back feet is more severely affected by this issue than the inside heel and can cause abnormal posture. This is likely because of the biomechanics of weight distribution between the two claws. The outside claw simply bears more weight than the inside claw, and it is exposed to a greater amount of concussion and trauma.

Trimming the claw is the best way to remedy these issues, and only a few basic trimming tools are required. They include a small angle grinder with a very coarse sand disc, a pair of hoof nippers, and a sharp hoof knife used for corrective trimming of claws.

Dr. van Amstel advises that the whole foot, including the interdigital space, should be cleaned and inspected and lesions recorded during the trimming procedure.

Proper identification of lesions is important in order to make appropriate adjustments according to the cause. To aid in that investigation, the Feet First team has produced a “Lesion Scoring Guide” to assist in accurate identification of the seven most common claw lesions.

Finally, van Amstel cautions that proper trimming cannot be done unless the animal is adequately restrained and poses no danger to inflict injury to itself or the trimmer. A well-designed chute that is safe for sow and operator is required. For this purpose, the Feet First team designed the Feet First Chute. This device utilizes a patent-pending design to safely restrain sows during claw trimming and foot examinations.

As the leader in trace mineral nutrition, Zinpro is committed to delivering the products and educational tools needed to help customers improve the performance and profitability of their operation. Visit www.zinpro.com or call 800-445-6145.ute, makes the procedure safe for both the sow and operator.