“Times and conditions change so rapidly that we must keep our aim constantly focused on the future.”
This quote from entrepreneur Walt Disney aligns perfectly with the values of BioZyme®. With a mission to show care that comes full circle to all animals and caretakers of those animals, our team is continually focused on making positive changes for the future.
One of BioZyme’s more recent changes and improvements comes from forming a key partnership with Zinpro®, a world leader in trace minerals. We are excited to kick off this partnership that allows us to introduce a new organic trace mineral (OTM) technology.
“Absorption is key. Present research shows that using an amino acid complex opens multiple doors for absorption and increases mineral retention rate, providing for maximum utilization. Zinpro Performance Minerals also utilize amino acid transporters for uptake into the bloodstream,” said Chris Cassady, Ph.D., BioZyme Director of Beef Technical Sales.
Zinpro amino acid complexes have four primary benefits outlined here:
1. Soluble
Soluble simply means being capable of being dissolved in a liquid. Since we know that the animal’s body is primarily made of water, if a mineral is not soluble, it won’t be available.
Mineral absorption is water based, and all Zinpro Performance Minerals have high solubility to improve efficacy and absorption into the enterocyte (small intestinal cell).
2. Stable
The stability of the organic trace mineral is primarily based on the bond between the mineral (metal) and the amino acid it is “complexed” to.
Varying bond strengths and pH changes throughout the GI tract cause a lot of OTMs to break apart and become less usable. The rumen is 6.7-7.0, the abomasum is around 2, the duodenum starts to increase back to 5, so it has to be strong enough to make it through this gauntlet of pHs. All Zinpro Performance Minerals are bound to an amino acid ligand with a stability constant between 2-7.4 pH.
Stability requires a balance, tight enough to stay together, but not so tight that it can’t let go when needed.
Cassady compares stability to a dating relationship.
“Stability is a really good girlfriend. If you find this person, you should marry them.”
“A crazy (too strong bond) clings, clings, clings to you and never lets go when you need it to,” he explains. “Alternatively, the weak girlfriend kind of holds your hand, but lets go and leaves you hanging when younger, more attractive guys show up to the party (antagonists in the rumen),” he said.
3. Absorbable
For an OTM to be absorbable, it is able to easily enter the bloodstream. Obviously, for trace minerals to be used by the animal, they must be absorbed and distributed through the bloodstream to organs, tissues and enzyme systems.
Zinpro Performance Minerals are manufactured to create a molecule that the animal can absorb and put to good use. Inorganics and some other organics are inadequately absorbed or not absorbed at all. If they aren’t absorbed, they aren’t used, and are excreted into the environment.
Zinpro has the data and science to prove that their amino acid complexes are absorbed through the amino acid transporters. So, the receptor on the enterocyte essentially recognizes the specific amino acid it is targeting and “pulls it in”. The Availa Zn, Mn and Cu we are now using have these minerals complexed to multiple amino acids instead of just
one glycine molecule like we had in the past. This increases the affinity and “opens more doors” for the complex minerals to be absorbed compared to the technology we used in the past.
4. Metabolically Available
Metabolically available amino acids are in the body, available for immediate use and help animals reach their full genetic potential more efficiently and effectively. Zinpro Performance Minerals are research-proven to provide greater efficiency to reach target organs, tissue, and enzyme systems. These OTMs give us the opportunity to consistently increase the amount of minerals that are available and usable in the animal.
As you can see, the primary benefits of the Zinpro Availa organic trace minerals are increased health, performance and absorption for the animals. The producers should see more efficiency, a reduced cost and more gain.
At BioZyme, we know that continuously improving is important to the animals, the customers and you, the dealers. If our products don’t get better, we don’t get better. We hope that you and your customers appreciate these enhanced OTMs the progress we are making to improve our products every day.
