Application of spray-dried blood plasma as a feed additive for the replacement of antibiotics in growing-finishing swine

Abstract

Background

This study evaluated the effect of spray-dried blood plasma (SDP) as a feed additive for the replacement of antibiotics in swine production. The treatments were used as strategic pulses of either antibiotics or SDP in the feed of swine during the growth and termination phases. The experimental design was conducted by 4 dietary treatments with a total of 1456 swine selected just after leaving the nursery and evaluated for 122 days until slaughter.

Results

The feed with the addition of the standard medication protocol (antibiotics) and without the inclusion of SDP had the highest feed intake (289.73 ± 3.04 kg) and reached a feed conversion of 2.57 ± 0.02 kg feed consumed per kg weight gained. Weight gain during the period of 0–122 days for the treatment with three pulses of SDP with (114.12 ± 0.64 kg) and without antibiotics (114.26 ± 1.01 kg) was higher than the control treatment (111.46 ± 1.10 kg, without antibiotics and SDP). Furthermore, the antibiotic-based treatment associated with SDP showed a 7.76% increase in weight gain when compared with the control group. Furthermore, there was a nonsignificant difference in the mortality of animals and in the index for pneumonia and ulcer score.

Conclusion

The application of SDP as a feed additive in swine at the growth and termination phases, combined with antibiotics, favored feed intake and weight gain and could be a promising alternative to upgrade zootechnical parameters in swine production.