Growth Performance And Blood Immune Parameters Of Nursery Pigs Fed Canola Meal-Based Diets

Abstract Effects of dietary solvent-extracted canola meal (SECM) on growth performance, blood thyroid hormones, and immune parameters of nursery pigs were investigated. A total of 200 weaned pigs (initial body weight = 7.00 kg) were obtained in 2 batches of 100 pigs each. Pigs in each batch were housed in 25 pens (4 pigs/pen) and fed 5 diets in a randomized complete block design. The 5 diets were corn-soybean meal-based diet with 0, 10, 20, 30, or 40% SECM. The diets were fed in 3 phases; Phase 1: d 0 to 7, Phase 2: d 7 to 21, and Phase 3: d 21 to 42. Growth performance was determined by phase. Blood parameters were determined at the end of Phases 1 and 2. Increasing dietary SECM from 0 to 40% resulted in a quadratic increase (P=0.007) in overall (d 0-42) average daily gain (ADG) such that an increase in dietary level of SECM from 0 to 20% resulted in an increase (P< 0.05) in ADG by 14.1%, but an increase in level of SECM from 20 to 40% resulted in a decrease (P< 0.05) in ADG by 11.4 %. Dietary SECM tended to linearly reduce (P=0.05) Phase 2 serum tetraiodothyronine level. An increase in dietary level of SECM from 0 to 20% did not affect the serum IgA level, but an increase in level of dietary level of SECM from 20 to 40% resulted in a decrease (P< 0.05) in the serum IgA level. Serum IgG and TNF-α levels were unaffected by diet. In conclusion, increasing dietary SECM level from 0 to 20% increased growth performance of weaned pigs. However, increasing dietary SECM level from 20 to 40% reduced growth performance and increased immune response. Thus, SECM can be included in diets for nursery pigs at 20% to improve performance.