Zar-Min Feed Additive: Improved Ruminant Animal Feed Efficiency

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Zar-Min Natural Zeolite Feed Additive: Ruminant Animals

Zar-Min Research with Ruminant Animals

Years of successful field testing have been completed. Since 1983, companies worldwide have included Zar-Min in their feeding programs.

Ruminant Animals
Zar-Min feed additive improved weight of heifer calves.

In the study below (Kondo, et al., 1969), heifer calves, 20- and 184-day-old, were studied for 180 days. Their rations included 5% by volume supplements of clino natural zeolites. Growth for all animals was improved by the decreased incidence of diarrhea and soft feces, and by the stimulation of appetite. The animals on the zeolite-supplemented feeding programs gained 20% more weight versus control, because they consumed more feed. However, the feed costs per kg. of weight gained were significantly less versus control. No side effects were detected, and the feces of the zeolite-fed animals contained less water and fewer particles of undigested food in the <5 mm size range.


Occurrence of Diarrhea and Soft Feces among Calves on Diets Supplemented with 5% Clinoptilolite
Time (days)	Incidence of Diarrhea			Incidence of Soft-Feces
Time (days)	Grass Fed +5% Zeolite	Hay Fed +5% Zeolite	Control Group 6 calves	Grass Fed +5% Zeolite	Hay Fed +5% Zeolite	Control Group 6 calves
30	0	0	4	0	0	4
36–60	0	1	2	9	4	13
61–90	0	0	2	1	1	13
91–120	1	0	1	2	0	13
121–150	0	0	4	4	0	8
154–184	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total (calf days)	1	1	13	16	5	51

Test Results of Diets Supplemented with Natural Zeolites

	Improved feed intake

	Improved feed efficiency

	Reduced diarrhea

	Reduced soft feces

Calves—Scours

Bartko, et al. reported that natural zeolites reduced the incidence and severity of diarrhea in calves. The control groups had an incidence of diarrhea of 68.7% and mortality of 4.7%, while the natural zeolite groups had 18.0% and 1.3% respectively.

(Bartko, P., Seidel, H. and Kovac, G. (1995) Natural Zeolites ‘93 Occurrence, Properties, Use. D. W. Ming and F. A. Mumpton, eds., International Committee on Natural Zeolites, Brockport, New York.)
Occurrence of Diarrhea and Soft Feces among Calves on Diets Supplemented with 5% Clinoptilolite
Farm	Natural Zeolites					Control
	No. of calves	Deaths		Diarrhea		No. of calves	Deaths		Diarrhea
	No. of calves	No.	(%)	No.	(%)	No. of calves	No.	(%)	No.	(%)
1	737	11	1.5	182	24.7	729	37	5.1	679	93.1
2	84	0	0.0	7	8.3	87	2	2.3	35	40.2
3	347	3	0.9	132	38.0	286	9	3.1	157	54.9
4	627	7	1.1	20	3.2	493	24	4.9	120	24.3
5	428	8	1.9	59	13.8	464	26	5.6	423	91.2
Total	2,223	29	1.3	341	18.0	2,059	98	4.7	1,414	68.7

Test Results of Diets Supplemented with Natural Zeolites

	Reduced deaths by 3.4%

	Reduced diarrhea by 50.7%

Zar-Min Natural Zeolite Feed Additive Literature

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