This study investigates the effects of two-stage fermented feather meal-soybean meal product (TSFP) on growth performance, blood characteristics, and immunity of finishing pigs. Firstly, feather meal-soybean meal is subjected to aerobic fermentation with Bacillus subtilis var. natto N21, B. subtilis Da2 and Da15, B. amyloliquefaciens Da6, Da16 for two days, and anaerobic fermentation with B. coagulans L12 for three days. Then, the fermented product is air-dried into an end product—TSFP. Eighty hybrid pigs (Duroc x KHAPS) with equal numbers of both sexes are randomly assigned into 3% fish meal, 0%, 2.5%, or 5.0% TSFP groups with five replicates per group. Our results show that the average daily feed intake and feed conversion rate of TSFP groups are significantly better than the other groups at 0–3 weeks (p < 0.05). The 5% TSFP group significantly increased HDL-C in the blood (p < 0.05), and decreased LDL-C and blood urea nitrogen content (p < 0.05). The lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and concanavalin A (ConA) in 5% TSFP group and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) content in 2.5% and 5% TSFP groups are significantly higher than the other groups (p < 0.05). The phagocytic oxygen burst capacity and serum IgA content of the 5% TSFP group are significantly higher than those of the fishmeal group (p < 0.05). The CD3, CD4, and CD4 + CD8 + T cells subsets in 2.5% and 5% TSFP groups are significantly higher than the control group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, TSFP has a positive effect on the growth performance and immunity of finishing pigs with the best performance on 5% TSFP.

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The keratinase-producing microbes can readily change the feather waste into more bioavailable peptides and amino acids. This study aimed to improve two-stage fermented feather meal-soybean meal product (TSFP) quality with five selected Bacillus strains and Saccharomyces cerevisiae Y10, as well as investigate the effects of TSFP on growth performance, blood biochemistry, and immunity of nursery pigs. In trial 1, 100 hybrid piglets (Duroc x KHAPS) were randomly assigned to dietary supplementation of 5% fish meal or 5% TSFP prepared with 0, 32, 40, or 48 h in the first-stage fermentation. The results showed that the body weight (BW), average daily gain (ADG), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) of fermented groups were significantly better than the unfermented group (p < 0.05) at weeks 0 to 3 and 0 to 5. The ADG of 32-hr and 48-hr TSFP groups were better than the unfermented group (p < 0.05) at weeks 3 to 5. In trial 2, 80 hybrid piglets (Duroc × KHAPS) were randomly assigned into 5% fish meal or different supplementation levels of TSFP (32-hr first-stage fermented time) at 0, 2.5, or 5%. The 5% TSFP group had better BW, ADG, FCR, and PEF than the 0% group (p < 0.05) at weeks 0 to 5. Furthermore, the ex vivo mitogen-induced lymphoblastogenesis, the interferon-γ production, the oxidative burst activity, and the IgG production of the 5% TSFP group were higher than the fish meal group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the first-stage fermentation time can be shortened from 48 h to 32 h using selected Bacillus strains in TSFP production when supplemented at 5% of the diet for nursery pigs shows the best growth performance and immunity.

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This study aimed to investigate the effects of a two-stage fermented feather meal-soybean meal product (TSFP) on the performance, clinical blood biochemistry, and immunity of sows and piglets. TSFP was fermented by Saccharomyces cerevisiae Y10 for three days in the second stage, which showed similar results to the five-day fermentation of B. coagulans (p > 0.05). Fifty hybrid sows (Duroc × KHAPS black pig) were randomly assigned into dietary supplementation groups of 2% fish meal or different levels of TSFP at 0%, 1%, 2%, or 3%. The results showed that body weight gain and feed conversion ratio of 2% and 3% TSFP groups were better than the control group and fish meal group during the gestation period (d 80–114) (p < 0.05). During the lactation period, the 3% TSFP group showed the best weaning litter weight (p < 0.05). In sows, interferon-γ and immunoglobulin G (IgG) of 2% and 3% TSFP groups were higher than the control group and fish meal group (p < 0.05). In piglets, in groups of 2% and 3% TSFP blood urea decreased (p < 0.05). The IgG of fermented groups was superior to the control group (p < 0.05). The oxidative burst of phagocytes in the 3% TSFP was higher than those of the control and fish meal groups (p < 0.05). In conclusion, TSFP supplementation exhibits the advantages of performance and immunity of lactating sows and piglets. Furthermore, adding 3% TSFP in the feed showed the best performance.