Metabolic health

Common metabolic diseases in companion animals are, for example, kidney and renal failure, laminitis, diabetes and obesity, and in livestock, diseases such as ruminal acidosis and fatty liver syndrome frequently occur. Especially high productivity make livestock susceptible to metabolic disorders. Any disruption in the normal metabolic processes generally lead to reduced productive efficiency of livestock which can have a significant negative impact on animal health and farm income. Metabolic disorders or diseases in animals can have several causes which include disruptions in biochemical pathways, genetics, deficient or excessive intake of nutrients, impaired digestion and absorption of nutrients, nutrient interactions or imbalances, environmental stressors, and abrupt dietary changes.

Feed additives can play an important role to reduce the incidence and severity of some metabolic disorders. The supplementation of vitamins and minerals, for example, can overcome certain acquired deficiency syndromes.

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