The role of plasma protein in young piglet feeding
Plasma protein is an important ingredient for starter diets, supporting piglets in the first stages of their lives. A good feed can contribute meaningfully to the health of piglets and may act in a strategy to reduce the use of antibiotics.
By Lourens Heres, Darling International A
ntibiotics in feed is often the lowest cost option to promote the health of pigs and to prevent bacterial diseases. From all age categories of pigs, piglets are the most frequently treated with antibiotics and the addition of antibiotics
(including ZnO) to feed is routinely used in many farms to promote growth in nursery pigs. Many management aspects contribute to the health management of pigs, but the role of feed quality cannot be underestimated. In 2010, De Lange, Pluske et al. reviewed the possibilities to improve gut health and observed that “the addition of (spray- dried) plasma products to diets has revolutionised the feeding of newly-weaned pigs, and especially of pigs weaned before 18 days of age, in the last 15 years.” More than any other animal protein, porcine plasma protein is an excellent ingredient for piglet milk replacers and nursery diets. The amino acid profile and the high digestibility make it an excellent protein source, but above all the bio-functionality of the components in the blood product make it a superior ingredient. Studies have shown that porcine plasma performs better than milk proteins, underlining the bio-functionality of plasma protein. Different studies have shown that plasma from porcine origin gives bet- ter performance than bovine plasma, suggesting species specif- ic functionality of the immunoglobulins/antibodies. There is a crucial role for immunoglobulins in plasma. Immunoglobulins have a central role in the (regulation of the) immune system. They capture pathogens, they opsonise them, they cause complement being released, they have a role in improving the integrity of epithelial layers, and so forth.
Pre-weaning period New born piglets have a very high energy requirement for activity and thermoregulation. Piglets are born with limited amounts of energy in glycogen depots in the liver and muscle tissues. Fat and lactose from colostrum must supply sufficient amounts of energy directly after birth. Therefore sufficient intake of colostrum is critical. Colostrum and milk are not
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only supplying energy, water and protein. They are also an important source of immunoglobulins. Unlike primates, neo- natal pigs are depending on ingested IgG during the first two days after birth to obtain maternal antibodies. Therefore IgG uptake with colostrum during the short time window after birth may be even more important than the energy uptake with colostrum. Also during further suckling the immunoglobulins in milk have an immune function. They can no longer be absorbed, but they have a local immunological effect; the so called lactogenic immunity. In nature this lactogenic immunity is provided for at least six weeks, whereas under commercial circumstances lactogenic immunity would normally stop at two, three or four weeks of age when the piglets are weaned, i.e. on a moment where the immune system is still immature. Plasma proteins contain high levels of IgG and can replenish IgG in colostrum and milk in management of suckling piglets. Plasma IgGs and proteins can be used when the lightest and weakest piglets in a litter are drenched during the first days after birth. At commercial farms we have seen that drenching with a plasma based colostrum supplement resulted in an increased number of surviving piglets. Especially on farms with larger litters the management of colostrum intake can be more critical, because the piglets from large litters have on average a lower birth weight and have to compete for colos- trum with their litter mates. To support piglets in their energy requirements when the sow cannot supply sufficient milk for all the piglets in a litter, milk replacer can be supplemented in the farrowing unit. In the milk replacer, plasma proteins can be included to replenish IgG and to support the passive immunity of piglets. When milk supply and feeding during the suckling period is well managed pigs are healthier at weaning, and are also prepared to change to solid feed. Plasma protein has shown to be a valuable ingre- dient for this.
Post-weaning period Immediately after weaning there are different things happening on the gut level that are strongly interrelated, namely anorexia, villus atrophy, limited digestive capacity and post-weaning
PHOTO: SONAC
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