A total of 904 weanling pigs were used to investigate the effects of 1) spray-dried porcine plasma (SDPP), 2) blends of SDPP and spray-dried blood meal (SDBM), and 3) added dietary methionine in a SDPP-based diet on starter pig performance. In Exp. 1, 534 weanling pigs (initially 6.4 kg and 21 +/- 2 d of age) were used to determine the effects of either 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10% SDPP and lactose as a replacement for dried skim milk in the Phase I diet (d 0 to 14 postweaning). All pigs were fed the same diet from d 14 to 28 postweaning. Average daily gain from d 0 to 14 increased (linear, P < .01) with increasing SDPP. From d 14 to 28, ADG decreased (linear, P < .03) as level of SDPP fed during Phase I increased. However, for d 0 to 28, ADG was increased (linear, P < .01) with increasing SDPP in the Phase I diet. Feed intake increased with increasing SDPP from d 0 to 14 and d 0 to 28 (quadratic, P < .04 and P < .08, respectively); however, gain/feed (G/F) was not affected. In Exp 2, 298 weanling pigs (initially 5.5 kg and 19 +/- 2 d of age) were used to determine the effects of replacing SDPP with SDBM in the Phase I diet. Pigs were fed either a diet containing 10% SDPP or diets with SDBM replacing 25, 50, 75, or 100% of the lysine provided by the SDPP.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

A total of 1,956 weanling pigs were used in five experiments to evaluate spray-dried blood meal (SDBM) in starter pig diets. In Exp. 1, 432 weanling pigs (initially 6.9 kg BW and 21 d of age) were used to evaluate different protein sources in the d 7 to 28 postweaning diet. Pigs were fed a control diet containing 5% select menhaden fish meal or diets with 3.88% spray-dried porcine plasma, 2.49% SDBM (porcine), 5.74% soy protein concentrate, 5.74% moist extruded soy protein concentrate, or L-lysine.HCl and DL-methionine replacing select menhaden fish meal on an ideal protein basis. Pigs fed diets containing the spray-dried blood products had higher (P < .06) mean ADG than pigs fed the other protein sources. In Exp. 2, 744 weanling pigs (initially 5.8 kg BW and 21 d of age) were used to determine the effects of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5% SDBM (bovine) in the d 7 to 28 postweaning diet. Pigs fed increasing SDBM had greater (quadratic, P < .01) ADG and improved gain:feed ratio (G/F). Inflection point analysis projected optimum ADG and G/F at 1.9% SDBM. In Exp. 3, 216 weanling pigs (initially 10.9 kg BW and 42 d of age) were used to determine the effects of 0, .5, 1, 1.5, 2, and 2.5% SDBM (bovine) in the d 21 to 42 postweaning diet. Pigs fed increasing SDBM had decreased (linear, P < .05) ADG and G/F. In Exp. 4 and 5, 144 and 180 weanling pigs (initially 5.3 and 6.2 kg BW and 24 and 21 d of age, respectively) were used to evaluate either 2.5% spray-dried porcine, spray-dried bovine, or flash-dried bovine blood meal (Exp. 4) or 2.5% spray-dried bovine or spray-dried avian blood meal (Exp. 5). Pigs fed diets containing the spray-dried blood meals had improved ADG and G/F (P < .01) compared with pigs fed flash-dried blood meal. However, no differences (P > .10) were observed among treatments when pigs were fed spray-dried blood meals from different species. We conclude that spray-dried bovine, porcine, and avian blood meal are effective protein sources in starter pig diets (d 7 to 28 postweaning). However, SDBM is not necessary in the diets of older pigs (d 21 to 42 postweaning) for maximum growth performance.

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The effect of pre- and postweaning exposure to soybean meal on postweaning growth performance and immune response by the early-weaned pig was analyzed. In Exp. 1, treatments were assigned in a 2 x 2 x 2 factorial arrangement. Pigs were derived from gilts fed either a soybean meal- or a corn gluten meal-based diet during gestation and lactation. Six to eight pigs per litter were either stomach-infused with or without (placebo) soybean meal during d 5 to 9 after farrowing. At weaning, 240 pigs (initially 5.1 kg, 21 +/- 1 d) were randomly allotted to either a corn-soybean meal or a corn-dried skim milk-dried whey diet based on gilt and infusion treatments. Average daily gain, ADFI, and gain:feed ratio were decreased (P < .05) on d 0 to 14 postweaning for pigs fed a soybean meal diet compared with pigs fed a milk diet. Skin-fold thickness after intradermal injection of soy protein and casein extracts on d 6 and measured on d 7 postweaning was not affected (P > .10) by dietary treatment, but serum immunoglobulin G titers to soybean glycinin and beta-conglycinin were increased (P < .01). From d 14 to 35 postweaning, all pigs were fed a common (1.25% lysine) corn-soybean meal diet containing 10% dried whey. Average daily gain, ADFI, and gain:feed ratio were decreased (P < .05) from d 14 to 35 for pigs fed a milk diet on d 0 to 14 postweaning. Serum immunoglobulin G titers were higher (P < .01) on d 21 postweaning for pigs fed soybean meal for the entire nursery period. Cumulative ADG (d 0 to 35) and gain:feed ratio were decreased (P < .05) for pigs fed a milk diet from d 0 to 14 compared with pigs fed a soybean meal diet. In Exp. 2, 104 pigs (initially 5.3 kg, 21 +/- 1 d of age) were used to determine the effect of 0, 7.5, 15.0, and 22.5% soybean meal in a high-nutrient-dense starter pig diet. Differences were not detected (P > .10) in ADG, ADFI, and gain:feed ratio during d 0 to 14, but ADFI decreased (linear, P < .05) and gain:feed ratio increased (linear, P < .05) during d 14 to 35 and for the entire 35-d trial as the level of soybean meal increased.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

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