Evaluation of the effect of dietary crude protein reduction, with or without fishmeal, on post weaning performance

Abstract

The post-weaning phase is a critical period in pig growth. The transition from sow milk to solid plant or animal proteins together with the physiological development of the intestinal tract can sometimes lead to digestive disorders depressing growth and impacting upon the lifetime performance of the pig herd. Lowering feed protein level or changing the type of protein offered appears as a practical solution to decrease the incidence and severity of digestive disorders leading to diarrhoea. It is crucial that in reducing crude protein levels that the balance of amino acids are maintained to meet the pigs requirement for growth. Fishmeal is often used in diets as a source of protein and amino acids. It also is said to be an aid to palatability. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the performance of post-weaned piglets offered diets that differed in crude protein content and in protein source from weaning until 43 days post-weaning.