We’ve all seen and many of us drink the popular types of vitamin- and mineral-enhanced water products on the market for humans. Now Novus International is promoting water-soluable organic acids to enhance pig performance.

At World Pork Expo last week, Novus Technical Services Manager Dr. Karen Lehe gave a talk on adding the Aliment-based Activate WD US Max to drinking water for pigs and how studies have shown benefits from improved gut health and lowering water pH. “With piglets, especially in herds that are challenged with E. Coli or salmonella that we do have a nice benefit in terms of reduction of medication costs in the nursery period, from 74 cents to 17 cents (per head),” she said, adding that it also improves feed efficiency.

Alimet is commonly used as a feed additive, but Dr. Lehe says adding to water may make it easier and the animals like it. “To us it smells a little bit acidic, but to the little pigs it smells yummy,” she said. Novus has also studied the water-delivery with sows and seen benefits in lactation and heavier weaned pig weights.

Listen to my interview with Karen and/or watch a video of his presentation below: Interview with Novus' Karen Lehe

2013 World Pork Expo photo album.