Plasma protein for pigs weaned at 19 to 24 days of age: effect on performance and plasma insulin-like growth factor I, growth hormone, insulin, and glucose concentrations.

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Three experiments were conducted to evaluate spray-dried porcine plasma (SDPP) protein in diets for early weaned pigs. In Exp. 1, 144 weanling pigs (24 +/- 4 d of age) were used to determine the effects of replacing dried skim milk (DSM) with either 4% SDPP or 2.75% spray-dried blood meal (SDBM) in Phase 1 diets (d 0 to 14 postweaning). During 0 to 14, pigs fed SDPP or SDBM had higher ADG (P < .05) and ADFI (P < .1) than those fed DSM. Pigs fed SDPP had greater (P < .05) ADG and ADFI (P < .1) than those fed SDBM. In Exp. 2, performance was similar in pigs fed two plasma protein sources (AP-820 and MP-722). In Exp.3, 18 weanling pigs (19 to 20 d of age) were used to determine the effects of feeding high levels of SDPP on performance and on plasma IGF-I, growth hormone, insulin, and glucose concentrations. Pigs were fed either a control diet containing 21.5% soybean meal (SBM) or a diet containing 14% SDPP. Treatments were applied for 14 d (Phase 1). During d 0 to 14, pigs fed a SDPP had a greater ADG and ADFI (P < .05) than pigs fed SBM. Replacing SBM with SDPP did not affect plasma IGF-I and glucose concentrations. However, SDPP replacement increased (P < .06) plasma growth hormone concentrations. Insulin levels were greater (P < .06) in pigs fed SBM than in those fed SDPP. These results indicate that SDPP and SDBM are effective alternatives to DSM or SBM in Phase 1 diets and the two plasma protein sources will produce similar performance. The factor(s) responsible for this improved performance does not seem to involve a change in plasma IGF-I.