Abstract
A review was done with 25 scientific papers published in the past fifteen years with the objective to verify the effects of spray dried plasma added to diets for pigs weaned at different ages on the feed intake, weight gain, intestinal structure, and number of E. coli colonies. Beneficial effects of spray dried plasma were observed during the first week after weaning for weight gain and feed intake of piglets weaned at 14, 21, and 28 days old. The beneficial effects of spray dried plasma decreased with the increase in weaning age. Positive effects of spray dried plasma were observed on the morph-physiological conditions of the small intestine, with higher villi height and crypt depth, when substituted completely for the powdered skim milk in diets for weaned pigs. Also, pigs fed diets with the inclusion of spray dried plasma had decreased E. coli colonies in the small intestine of pigs weaned at 21, 28, and 35 days old. The research also indicated that spray dried plasma can replace antibiotic in diets to pigs weaned at 28 and 35 days old. The article presents some promising patents on feed intake for pigs weaned at different ages.
Keywords: Early weaning, feed intake, intestinal structure
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