Use of Wheat Gluten in Nursery Diets

Wheat gluten (WG) is a high protein ingredient (75% CP) that is commonly used in pet food and milk replacers, but not commonly used in swine diets. An experiment was conducted to evaluate the optimal level of WG inclusion in phase 1 diets as a partial replacement for plasma protein (PP) and fish meal (FM). Pigs (n=135, BW = 6.1 + 0.1 kg, 45 pens, 3 pigs/pen) were weaned at approximately 21 d and blocked according to weight. All diets were formulated to meet or exceed the 2012 NRC standards. All phase 1 diets had 1.50% SID Lysine and contained 27.5% whey. There were 5 dietary treatments: 1) PC (5% PP, 5% FM), 2)NC (2.5% PP, 2.5% FM), 3)NC+2.5% WG, 4)NC + 5% WG, and 5)NC + 7.5% WG. WG was added at the expense of corn. Test diets were fed for 14 d post-weaning, followed by a common phase 2 diet for an additional 7 d. The phase 2 common diet had 1.35% SID Lysine, 10% whey and 3% FM. The study was conducted as a randomized complete block design with a positive control. Contrast statements were used to determine linear and quadratic effects of WG. Overall (0-21 d), there was a quadratic effect of the level of WG on ADG (356, 398, 377, and 362 g/d for pigs fed 0, 2.5, 5 and 7.5% WG respectively, P < 0.05). Pigs fed the NC had reduced ADG compared to the PC treatment (356 vs 394 g/d, P < 0.05). There was a quadratic effect of level of WG on ADFI (432, 471, 446, and 433, respectively for pigs fed 0, 2.5, 5 and 7.5% WG, P < 0.05). Pigs fed the NC had reduced intake compared to those fed the PC (432 g/d vs 471 g/d, P < 0.05). There was no effect of diet on G:F. In this study, 2.5% WG was the optimal level of inclusion. The results indicate that reduction in the content of PP and FM in the phase 1 diet results in a loss of performance which was restored with the addition of 2.5% WG.