Inclusion of spray dried plasma in diets fed to young pigs increases the ileal digestibility of crude protein and amino acids of other ingredients in the diet.

Objective: An experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that inclusion of spray dried plasma (SDP) increases the apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of starch and the AID and standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of crude protein (CP) and amino acids (AA) from other ingredients in diets for young pigs.

Methods: Thirty weanling barrows (body weight: 9.3±0.6 kg) with a T-cannula in the distal ileum were allotted to a triplicated 10×3 Youden square design with 10 diets and three periods of 7 d. Eight diets with ingredient combinations typically used in the U.S.A. [Corn and soybean meal (SBM)], Canada (wheat, barley, SBM, and fermented SBM), the European Union (corn, SBM, wheat, and barley), and Asia (corn, SBM, ground rice, and fermented SBM) were formulated. Four diets contained no SDP, and four diets contained 6% SDP. A diet with SDP as the sole source of AA and a nitrogen-free diet were also included.

Results: An interaction between region and SDP was observed for the AID and SID of CP and most AA. The SDP did not affect AID or SID of AA and CP in U.S.A. or Asian diets, but SDP increased (p<0.05) the AID of CP and the SID of Gly in the European Union diet. In the Canadian diet, SDP increased (p<0.05) the AID of starch and the SID of CP and most AA.

Conclusion: Addition of 6% SDP to diets based on wheat and barley (Canada and European Union diets) may increase the AID of starch and the SID of CP and AA from other ingredients in the diet. Therefore, the SID of CP and AA in diets containing SDP is not always additive in wheat and barley-based diets.