The replacement of fishmeal by plant proteins in piglet production

A total of 144 Landrace x Large White male piglets (average age at weaning of 28 days; average body weight of 7.58 kg) was used. Animals were homogeneously (on the basis of litter, age and body weight) allotted to four experimental groups, each containing six replications of six piglets, fed as follows: a group A (control) in which piglets received a common diet containing fishmeal and groups B, C and D in which fishmeal was replaced by partially dehulled sunflower meal (solvent extract), corngluten meal and potato protein concentrate, respectively. Aminoacids and Net Energy supplies of the four diets were equalized by means of synthetic aminoacids and soybean oil addition. Feed was ad libitum offered as pellet. To meet piglets’ requirements (INRA, 1989), two feed formulations for each group were used: from 8 to 15 kg body weight (first phase) and from 15 to 30 kg body weight (second phase). Percent composition and chemical analyses (performed according to AOAC, 1990) of the four experimental diets offered in the above mentioned phases are shown in Table 1. Piglets were kept in environmentally controlled rooms. Water was ad libitum available. Piglets were individually monitored for: initial weight; weight on 21st day of trial (intermediate); final weight (50th day of trial); average daily weight gain (ADG); feed intake per replicate; feed conversion rate (FCR) per replicate; mortality (and causes); diarrhoea incidence and diarrhoea score with points awarded on a 1-to-4 scale (1 indicating normal consistency of faeces and 4 indicating severe diarrhoea; to perform this classification the number of piglets of each replication and faeces consistency were used, according to Sardi et al, 2004). From our data it is concluded that fishmeal used at 6% in piglet diets can be replaced by similar amounts of vegetable protein (i.e. partially dehulled sunflower meal, corn gluten meal and potato protein concentrate), provided that the diets are equalized in terms of Net Energy and aminoacids supplies and a high standard of hygiene is ensured.