PSXVI-5 Supplemental effects of soy protein concentrate replacing animal protein supplements on growth performance and intestinal health of nursery pigs

Abstract

Abstract This study evaluated supplemental effects of soy protein concentrate (SPC) replacing animal protein supplements on growth performance and intestinal health of nursery pigs. Forty-eight newly weaned pigs (6.4 ± 0.6 kg BW) were allotted to 4 treatments in a RCBD with initial BW and sex as blocks fed for 35 d in 3 phases (P1/2/3 for 10/12/13 d, respectively). Dietary treatments were CON: diet with fish meal 4/2/1%, poultry meal 10/8/4%, and blood plasma 4/2/1% for P1/2/3, respectively; RFM: CON with SPC replacing fish meal; RPM: CON with SPC replacing poultry meal; and RBP: CON with SPC replacing blood plasma. Titanium dioxide (0.4%) was added to diets as indigestible marker from d 30. Growth performance was recorded for each phase. Pigs were euthanized on d 35 to collect jejunal tissue to measure intestinal health and mucosa-associated microbiota, and ileal digesta to measure apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of nutrients. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS. In P1, RBP decreased (P < 0.05) ADFI compared to CON (202 to 152 g/d) whereas no differences on growth performance and AID (DM, CP, and AA) were observed among treatments during the overall period. The RFM tended to increase (P = 0.087) IgA (3.48 to 5.54 mg/mg of protein) without differences in MDA, TNF-a, IL-8, protein carbonyl, and IgG among treatments. The RPM increased (P < 0.05) Firmicutes (14.3 to 26.1%) and Bacteroidetes (8.3 to 18.7%) but decreased (P < 0.05) Proteobacteria (64.0 to 42.1%). There were no differences in villus height, villus width, and crypt cells proliferation among treatments. In conclusion, SPC could replace animal protein supplements in nursery diets without affecting growth performance and intestinal health, and AID of nutrients. Particularly SPC replacing poultry meal enhanced the balance of jejunal mucosa-associated microbiota by reducing Proteobacteria and increasing Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes.