Effect of spray-dried porcine plasma protein and egg antibodies in diets for waned pigs under environmental challenge conditions

Objectives: To study the effects on performance of weaned pigs reared in an uncleaned nursery and fed diets containing either egg yolk antibodies (EYA) or spray-dried porcine plasma (SDPP) at one of two dietary inclusion rates. Material and methods: Weaned pigs (21 days of age; 6.3 kg body weight) housed in an uncleaned nursery were fed diets containing 3% or 6% SDPP or 0.2% EYA for 14 days post weaning, then a common diet to day 28 post weaning (nine replicates, four pigs per pen). Results: During the initial 14 days, in pigs fed diets with increasing levels of SDPP, there was a linear improvement (P < .05) in day 14 body weight and average daily weight gain (ADG) and a tendency (P < .10) for improved average daily feed intake (ADFI) and gain-to-feed ratio (G:F). In addition, pigs fed SDPP had greater ADG, ADFI, and G:F than pigs fed EYA (P < .05). Performance variables did not differ between pigs fed the EYA diet and those fed the unsupplemented control diet. During the common starter-diet phase (days 15 to 28), G:F was lower (P < .01) for pigs previously fed SDPP diets. Over the 28-day period, performance variables did not differ (P > .05). Implications: Under the conditions of this study, while performance may not be better in pigs fed an EYA diet than in pigs fed a control diet, performance may be better in pigs fed SDPP diets than in controls during the initial 14-day period.