Presented at the 2025 Leman Swine Conference (Download the PDF here)
Overview
New research presented by APC demonstrates that top-dressing feed with 2 grams of spray dried plasma (SDP) per pig per day can offer a powerful, antibiotic-alternative health strategy in grow-finish systems. Conducted under commercial conditions in Brazil, the study measured mortality and injectable medication usage over a 98-day production period.
Objective
To evaluate whether low-dose, daily SDP application in grow-finish pigs could improve survival and reduce reliance on injectable antibiotic treatments.
Trial Design
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Total pigs: 1,536 (castrated males and females)
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Pens: 48 total (24 control, 24 SDP treatment)
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Treatment: 2 g SDP/pig/day, hand-mixed on feed
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Duration: 98 days (grow-finish phase)
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Metrics: Mortality, antibiotic injections (Tulathromycin, Dexamethasone, Metamizole sodium), total medication use
Key Results
| Metric | Control | SDP (2g/d) | Improvement | P-Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mortality per pen (number) | 1.08 | 0.25 | -77% | 0.0007 |
| Mortality (%) | 3.39 | 0.78 | -77% | 0.0003 |
| Tulathromycin injections/pen | 0.75 | 0.13 | -83% | 0.0016 |
| Total medications/pen | 1.70 | 1.11 | -35% trend | 0.0877 |
