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Is 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25-OH-D3) a good biomarker to evaluate bone and cartilage health in pigs?

Lameness, a welfare issue and a source of major economic losses in pigs, is also increasingly seen in finishing pigs. This is because the higher growth rate and lean tissue accretion of modern breeds carries a higher mineral demand which can result in the redirection of minerals away from bone deposition towards muscle growth and immunity. Lame or unhealthy pigs have been shown to have reduced serum levels of the form of vitamin D3 known as 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25-OH-D3). It is therefore relevant to consider whether serum 25-OH-D3 could be used as a good indicator of bone health, to support interventions to avoid lameness. This article explores this by considering the metabolic basis of lameness, how this relates to vitamin D status, and how 25-OH-D3 supplementation can be used to improve bone health and reduce bone-related disease.

Understanding How Vitamin D Can Support the Health and Well-Being of Animals

Adequate levels of vitamin D are critical to support animal and human health. Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that plays an important role in the physiological regulation of Ca/P and bone growth, and there’s increasing recognition for its importance in immunity. Currently, serum 25-OH D3 is the most widely accepted biomarker to measure levels of vitamin D in humans and animals due to its high blood concentration and long half-life. While vitamin D3 (present in some animal-based ingredients) and vitamin D2 (present in some plants) can be dietary sources to supplement the variable synthesis of vitamin D3 from sunlight and UVB exposure to skin, 25-OH D3 (Hy-D®) is a highly researched and commonly used dietary source to ensure optimum levels of vitamin D in food animals.

Dr. Maria Walsh shares vitamin D, mycotoxin research in gilts

Dr. Maria Walsh, Global Marketing Director for swine with dsm-firmenich spoke with The Pig Site’s Sarah Mikesell at the 2023 World Pork Expo in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. “We're all about preparing and protecting the gilt right now at dsm-firmenich because it's a very valuable animal in the herd,” said Walsh. “They're expensive animals, so we want to make sure that they last in the herd as long as possible.”