Effects of flavor conditioning on postweaning performance of piglets fed a diet containing spray-dried porcine plasma

摘要

Flavor conditioning through sows' diets can be used at weaning to improve piglets' transition to solid feed and growth performance. The aim of this trial was to evaluate if the prenatal and postnatal inclusion of a feed flavor (Fluidarom 1003; 0.375 kg/t), formulated with essential oils, could improve postweaning performance in piglets receiving a diet containing spray-dried porcine plasma (SDPP; 30 kg/t). Twenty-one pregnant sows were offered unflavored (n = 11) or flavored (n = 10) diets during the last 2 wk of gestation and lactation. Litters were also offered unflavored or flavored creep feed from 8 d of age until weaning accordingly to the sow treatment. At 21 d, a total of 235 piglets were weaned and distributed to 2 treatments during 1 wk: T1 piglets, from sows that did not receive the flavor, were offered starter feed with SDPP and T2 piglets, from sows that received the flavor, were offered starter feed with SDPP and flavor. The results showed that piglets conditioned with the flavor presented numerically higher ADFI during lactation (3.4 vs. 4.2 g/d; P = 0.19) and the first week after weaning (105.1 vs. 117.0 g/d; P = 0.46). Weight gain of T2 piglets during the first week after weaning was 21.5 g/d significantly higher than that of T1 piglets (46.9 vs. 68.4 g/d ADG; P 0.05), and BW of T2 piglets was 150 g higher than that of T1 piglets at the end of the first week (5.2 vs. 5.3 kg; P 0.05). The prenatal and postnatal flavor exposure did not improve the preweaning performance; the effects were observed only in the postweaning period.