135 Growth Performance of Nursery Pigs Fed Antibiotic-Free Diets with Spray Dried Bovine Plasma as an Alternative for Use of High Levels of Zinc Oxide

Abstract

Abstract The study was designed to evaluate if feeding spray dried bovine plasma (SDP) in low Zn diets would maintain similar growth performance compared with a high Zn diet, as an alternative to high levels of supplemental zinc oxide. Pigs (1,548 Camborough F1 female x 800 boar line; PIC Canada) were weaned at 20 ± 1 d of age (body weight: 5.6 ± 0.2 kg), divided within gender, and allotted to a randomized block design using 48 pens in 2 rooms with 31, 32, or 33 pigs per pen. Feeding phases (P) were (P1) d 0-7, (P2) d 7-21, and (P3) d 21-49. Feed treatments were: 1) positive control (PC) with high supplemental zinc (P1, 3000; P2, 2000, and P3 150 ppm); 2) negative control (NC) with low zinc (P1-P3, 150 ppm); 3) NC + 5% SDP P1; and 4) NC + 5% SDP P1, 2.5% SDP P2. Data were analyzed using PROC MIXED of SAS. Contrast statements were used to test effects of Zn supplementation (PC vs NC) or SDP inclusion in low Zn diets vs the PC or NC diets. Overall, from d 0 to 49, ADFI and ADG was greater (P < 0.01) for pigs fed PC than for NC and SDP treatments. Pigs fed SDP had greater ADG and ADFI than NC pigs (P ≤ 0.02). At d 49, pigs fed the PC high zinc diets weighed 1.6 kg more (P < 0.05) than pigs fed the NC low Zn diets. Supplementation of SDP in low Zn diets increased (P < 0.05) ADFI, ADG, and final BW by 0.55-0.59 kg compared with the NC diets. Supplementation of low zinc diets with SDP improved growth performance but resulted in lower final BW compared with the PC diets containing high zinc.