Fish Oil Alterntive to Growth Hormones for Pigs

WASHINGTON - Jul 11/05 - SNS -- USDA reseacrhers have concluded fish oil and other nutritional supplements could help boost immunity in piglets and possibly replace growth-promoting antibiotics traditionally given to the young animals.

Many countries are phasing out antibiotics in animal feed because antibiotics are expensive and because animals are developing resistance to them.

Jeff Carroll, research leader of the ARS Livestock Issues Research Unit, Lubbock, Texas, and his colleagues are testing spray-dried plasma, fish oil and other nutritional supplements to find alternatives to antibiotics.

Antibiotics have been used to help piglets as they are weaned. Piglets are usually weaned at 18 to 21 days, but sometimes as early as 10 days. This can leave them vulnerable to diseases because their immune systems are not yet fully developed. ARS researchers are investigating diets that not only help boost the immune system, but also maintain growth rates acceptable to swine producers.

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