04/09/2026
If you could give farm managers a single piece of advice on reducing invisible losses, what would it be?
We asked Dr. Balázs Vásárhelyi, veterinarian and Technical Sales Manager at Dr. Bata Ltd.
The short answer: think about prevention as a complete system.
But what does this mean in practice, from feed safety and weaning all the way through the fattening period?
👉 Read our expert’s answer!
If I could give one piece of advice, it would be to think about prevention as a complete system. Gut health does not depend on one product or one intervention. Good hygiene and biosecurity, appropriate housing and management practices, high-quality feed and water, and minimizing unnecessary stress all create the foundation for healthy and consistently performing animals.
Once these foundations are in place, targeted nutritional solutions can help farmers manage specific risks at different stages of production.
The first step is feed safety. Contaminated or poor-quality feed can compromise gut health and animal performance before any visible symptoms appear. Detoxa Plus supports feed safety through an enzymatic approach that breaks down mycotoxins and helps protect animals from one of the often-overlooked sources of invisible losses.
Another critical point is weaning. This is one of the most challenging periods in pig production, when changes in diet, environment and social conditions can put significant pressure on gut function. Colistat offers a natural and effective alternative to zinc oxide (ZnO), which is already banned or restricted in many countries and is likely to face further restrictions in the future. Unlike ZnO, Colistat does not contribute to environmental zinc accumulation or antimicrobial resistance. At the same time, it supports gut health during the transition and can help improve feed conversion and weight gain, giving producers a more sustainable way to maintain performance and improve weaning security.
During the fattening period, maintaining gut health and a balanced microbiome is essential for achieving consistent production performance. Depending on the dosage, Dysantic can be used both preventively and as a targeted solution against dysentery and ileitis. Its active ingredients can inhibit the pathogens responsible for these diseases, helping to control the underlying challenge rather than simply addressing its symptoms. At the same time, by supporting gut health and maintaining a balanced digestive system, Dysantic can contribute to improved feed conversion, growth and overall production performance. This makes it a valuable tool for protecting both animal health and the economic efficiency of the fattening period.
For us, this is what preventive production should look like: addressing the key risks at the points where they can have the greatest impact. Detoxa Plus for feed safety, Colistat for weaning security, and Dysantic for fattening efficiency — a targeted approach to protecting animal performance before invisible losses become visible ones.
