Effects of liquid delactosed permeate in nursery piglet diets: improvements in feed conversion with increased post-weaning diarrhea occurrence

Abstract

The objective of this study was to assess the effects of liquid delactosed permeate (DLP) alone or mixed as baby feed with a conventional lactose-containing diet for nursery piglets on growth performance, diarrhea occurrence (DO), blood profile, gastrointestinal tract traits, and bacterial population counts. Ninety male hybrid piglets (7.59±0.63 kg) weaned at 25 days old (day 0) were assigned for 35 days in a complete block design based on body weight (BW) to one of three treatments: control diet (CD) containing lactose via whey permeate powder, supplied in mash and dry form, without DLP; supplemented diet (SD): CD + DLP provided in specific feeders and separated from the mash diet; moist diet (MD): CD moistened with DLP in a 1:1 ratio, 10 replicates, and three piglets per pen. Nursery phases were defined as pre-starter I and II (days 0 to 7, and 8 to 21) and starter (day 22 to 35). Piglets fed MD diet had better feed conversion (FCR) compared with those fed CD in the pre-starter I and II and total period. Piglets in pre-starter I fed MD diet had a higher DO compared with those fed CD, whereas piglets fed SD had intermediate results. Piglets in pre-starter II fed SD had a higher total protein concentration than those fed MD, and CD provided intermediate results. Piglets on MD had higher leukocyte concentrations compared with those fed CD, but piglets fed SD had intermediate results. Piglets fed CD or SD diets had higher colonic content pH than those fed MD. Piglets fed SD or MD diets had longer large intestine lengths than animals fed CD. Delactosed permeate improves FCR in piglets in the pre-starter phases and promotes minor changes in other variables; however, a greater DO is observed in the first few days post-weaning.