GUELPH, Ont. – A naturally occurring hormone in the gut of all mammals
may be the key that unlocks the door to efficiency gains for hog
producers.
George Bubenik has known for more than two decades that melatonin, a
hormone produced in the gastrointestinal tract and other parts of the
body, can improve sleep patterns, reduce stress and induce mating
cycles in animals that traditionally breed seasonally, based on the
length of the day.
The University of Guelph scientist now wants to further study its
Read Also
University of Manitoba hires potato researcher
A new research chair position at the University of Manitoba will tackle sustainability in the potato industry.
effects on hogs.
For years he has studied melatonin’s effect on pigs but the challenge
is to find commercial support for more testing of his discoveries.
Melatonin is taken as a human food supplement and sleep aid in some
countries, but has never been licensed in Canada. It cannot be patented
and is cheap to produce synthetically.
“There is no incentive to do the trials in Canada. Whom ever paid for
the testing wouldn’t get their money back unless there was a commercial
advantage … farmers would have a commercial advantage from its use in
feed,” he said.
In his study of the hormone, he has found that 94 percent of commercial
pigs have lesions in their intestines. This damaged tissue cannot fully
use the feed and can cause illnesses.
Bubenik added melatonin to pig diets and found a 20 percent reduction
in lesions and a 100 percent reduction in serious ulcers.
“Melatonin is five times better than vitamin E as a scavenger of the
free radicals that cause ulcers,” he said.
Free radicals are molecules with an unpaired electron. Such molecules
are highly reactive and can bind with tissue molecules. This causes
them to behave in different ways, creating mutations such as tumours
and ulcers.
Small amounts of melatonin go a long way due to the slow nature of the
pig’s digestive system.
“We can maintain high levels over time with very tiny amounts and after
three or four hours (past the point that feed has been converted) it is
completely gone from the animal’s system with no residue,” he said.
Bubenik feels melatonin helps calm animals and he has proven that it
relaxes smooth muscle tissue, like that in the gut.
This allows greater blood flow to the region, which can improve feed
use and tissue repair.
“(Melatonin) also reduces the production of hydrochloric acid in the
gut. Too much of this is very hard on tissues. This further improves
the animal’s feed efficiency,” he said.
“If we can improve the condition of these tissues we can reduce
mortality and morbidity. That means we can also reduce the need for
antibiotics. When we do that it cuts costs and makes the consumer
happy. And as we are hearing in some places this may also be necessary
to protect ground water supplies,” he said.
Bubenik says the hormone can also improve breeding cycles in pigs and
may shorten the the turn-around time for estrus.
Melatonin is produced in the brain’s pineal gland. It is inhibited when
strong light sources hit the retina at back of the eye.
As days shorten in the fall, the amount of melatonin in the body rises.
Plants such as oats contain melatonin.
“Maybe someone would create a genetically modified oat. Or use
biotechnology to select for oats with the highest concentrations of
(melatonin). It could be a natural feed supplement … but it is easy
and cheap to produce synthetically too,” he said.
The Guelph scientist wants to study the effect of increased melatonin
in milk secretions on piglets.
“I expect we will see lower mortality here. But for that we need more
study,” he said.
Bubenik and his colleagues are approaching the hog industry for funding.
“Five percent improvements might not sound like much. To a farmer that
is big stuff,” said Bubenik.
