Spray-dried plasma improves broiler gut health and immune function

The performance results and health of poultry are influenced by critical factors such as intestinal health and the immune system's efficiency. Nowadays, detecting new functional ingredients to improve intestinal function is relevant, especially with the reduction in antibiotics...

The performance results and health of poultry are influenced by critical factors such as intestinal health and the immune system’s efficiency. Nowadays, detecting new functional ingredients to improve intestinal function is relevant, especially with the reduction in antibiotics. Therefore, feed additives such as Spray-dried plasma (SDP) started to be used in poultry diets due to the beneficial effects observed in swine and cattle.  

This article describes some effects of using SDP reported in a review article from Campbell et al., 2019. 

The Spray-dried plasma is a dry functional feed additive resulting from processed blood but preserving the functional features of the proteins. This mix of different bioactive proteins and peptides could come from bovine colostrum or colostrum whey. It has been described that SDP contains the following functional components that have biological activity within the gut:

• Immunoglobulins, albumin, fibrinogen, lipids, growth factors, biologically active peptides, transferrin, enzymes, and amino acids

Also, the SDP has been widely used in swine and calves showing good results in performance, feed efficiency, and animal survival. This ingredient has been related to different modes of action with direct effects on the immune system, gastrointestinal tract, and respiratory and reproductive systems.