Response of weaned pigs to spray-dried porcine plasma and feed-grade antibiotics compared with antibiotic free diets supplemented with polyclonal IgY antibodies (Wean Right) and plant extracts (Natures Fuel)

Abstract Text: The objective of this study was to compare growth promoting properties of dietary spray-dried porcine plasma (SDPP) and feed grade antibiotics (Ab=Chlortetracycline and Denaguard as a positive control PC) with a negative control diet (NC) without SDPP or Ab. The experiment involved 2,651, 21-d old weaned pigs housed in two commercial wean-finish barns (33 pigs/pen, 8 pens/treatment) with FANCOM feed weighing system. Feed treatments were added to NC diet consisting of polyclonal IgY antibodies derived from hyper-immunized whole eggs (WR=Wean Right™) and plant extracts (NF=Natures Fuel™) to 21 d post-weaning. Ten experimental diets in an incomplete factorial design were arranged in a 2 × 3 factorial (3 levels of WR and 3 levels of NF added to the NC diet) and two treatments were tested for additivity of WR and NF. Due to veterinarian diagnosed E. Coli scour in both barns, Barn 2 was water medicated with Amoxycillin from d8-18. Data were analyzed using Proc. GLM from Minitab. Summary results from day7-21 are shown in Table 1. There was no effect of treatment from d0-7 on ADG and ADFI (P > 0.05). Water medication improved pig performance (P<0.05).  PC fed pigs had improved feed efficiency over NC fed pigs (P < 0.05). WR (P < 0.05) improved gain/feed ratio compared with NC diets. In summary, the dietary treatments of PC and the combination of Wean Right plus Natures Fuel resulted in similar feed efficiency (G/F=0.81) and was improved (P < 0.05) over the NC diet regime (G/F = 0 .73) in commercial nursery pigs.

Table 1. Feed efficiency traits (least square means and SEM) from weaned pigs fed 3 levels of Wean Right

and 3 levels of Nature Fuel added to antibiotic free vegetarian diets

D7-21                     PC           NC          NF           WR         NF+WR           SE

ADG, g/d                272         238         245         252         248               10          

ADFI, g/d               324         335         322         318         302                10

Gain/feed              0.81^a       0.73^b       0.76^b       0.80^a       0.81^a           0.02

Viability, %           91.8        88.7        89.5        91.2        93.5               1.7 

Keywords: Egg polyclonal IgY antibodies, Pigs, Plasma, Plant extracts, Feed grade antibiotics