Feasibility of feeding Spirulina maxima, Arthrospira platensis or Chlorella sp. to pigs weaned to a dry diet at 4 to 8 days of age
Yap T.N.; Wu J.F.; Pond W.G.; Krook L.
Nutrition Reports International 25(3): 543-552
1982
ISSN/ISBN: 0029-6635 Accession: 005451332
Two experiments were done to evaluate the feasibility of replacing 33% of the soy protein in a basal corn-soybean meal-dried skimmed milk diet with algal proteins (S. maxima, A. platensis and Chlorella sp.). In both experiments the 8 day weights of artificially reared pigs were lower than reported values for nursed pigs and the differences persisted throughout each experiment [exp.] (15 day in exp. 1 and 26 day in exp. 2). Animals fed the basal diet gained weight at a rate not significantly different from those fed algal diets. There were no signs of diarrhea, loss of appetite, toxicity or of gross or histopathological lesions of the gastrointestinal tract, kidney, liver or femur in pigs fed any diet. Terminal blood Hb and serum protein, albumin and urea concentrations were similar in all groups in each exp. At least 1/2 of the protein supplied by soybean meal (1/3 of the dietary protein) evidently can be replaced in the diet of the early weaned pig by S. maxima, A. platensis or Chlorella sp. without adverse effects. The maximum amount of each algal protein compatible with normal growth and performance of early weaned pigs was not determined.
