Response of broiler chickens to rising levels of spray-dried porcine plasma

Abstract

Broiler chicks have been shown to benefit from immediate access to feed. Although the focus of early nutrition has been on provision of energy, chicks would benefit from a more balanced nutrient profile, particularly amino acids. Spray-dried porcine plasma (SDPP) and similar products have been used by the pig industry to support piglets prior to and after weaning (Tucker et al., 2011). The objective of the present study was to assess SDPP as a supplement for broiler chicks at the starter phase and measure subsequent performance. Four levels of SDPP inclusion - 0, 5, 10 or 20 g/kg diet were tested in starter diets based either on maize or wheat diets. The diets were identical in nutrient profiles and formulated to meet breeder specifications. Four hundred and eighty Ross 308 day-old male chicks (initial weight, 41.0±0.92 g) were randomly allocated to the diets, which were fed from hatch to 10 days, after which the chicks were transferred to commercial-type grower (11-24d) and finisher (25-35d) diets. Data were regressed, with SDPP level as factor.