Effects of inclusion of spray-dried porcine plasma in lactation diets on sow and litter performance

A cooperative study, utilizing 404 primi- and multi-parous crossbred sows from five experiment stations (AL, KY, OK, VA, and Brazil), was conducted to determine the effects of dietary inclusion of 0.50% spray-dried porcine plasma (SDPP; Appetein, APC, Inc., Ankeny, IA) on sow and litter performance. Crossbred sows were fed corn and soybean meal-based diets containing a minimum of 0.50% SID lysine during gestation. Sows were allotted at farrowing, based on body wt, to two dietary treatments. The control (C) diet was a fortified corn, soybean meal based diet. Spray-dried porcine plasma was added to the control diet at 0.50% at the expense of soybean meal to formulate the test diet. Both diets were formulated to 0.90% SID lysine and 3414 kcal/kg ME. A common trace mineral and vitamin premix was used at all stations with the exception of Brazil. Sows were allowed ad libitum access to feed. Sows were weighed within 24 h after farrowing, and all litters were adjusted to ≥10 pigs/litter by d 2 following farrowing. Average sow parity, number of pigs on d 2, and lactation length for the C and SDPP treatments were, respectively: 2.5 and 2.3; 11.0 and 10.7; and 23 and 23 d The ADFI during lactation for C and SDPP diets was similar (5.65 kg/d; P > 0.10). The number of pigs weaned (9.9 vs. 9.7), litter weaning weights (68.4 vs. 69.1 kg), litter weight gains (51.6 vs. 52.2), sow weight change during lactation (−6.0 vs. −8.3 kg), and wean-to-estrus interval (7.5 vs. 7.2 d) were not affected (P > 0.10) by dietary treatment. There were no station x treatment interactions (P > 0.10). After evaluating the entire data set, the data were sorted by parity (≤3 vs. ≥4) to evaluate the effects of SDPP in young vs. older sows. In older, mature sows, SDPP tended to increase (P ≤ 0.10) the no. of pigs weaned (9.6 vs. 10.3), percentage survival (86 vs. 91), litter wt at weaning (64.5 vs. 70.3 kg), and daily litter wt change (2.20 vs. 2.47 kg). Overall, these data suggest no benefit of inclusion of spray-dried porcine plasma in lactation diets of younger sows; however, SDPP increased litter performance in older, mature sows.