Digestive development of the early-weaned pig

Abstract

Gastric intubation was adopted as a means of comparing the effect of two feeding levels, continuous nutrient supply (C) and restricted nutrient supply (R), on the digestive development of pigs weaned at 14 d of age, during the first 5 d post-weaning. The absolute weights of the stomach and the pancreas were significantly greater (P less than 0.001) in C compared with R pigs. The effect was not significant for pancreas weight when expressed per kg body-weight but was significant (P less than 0.05) for stomach weight. The weights of the small intestine (SI), SI mucosa and total mucosal protein were significantly higher (P less than 0.001) in C pigs but protein content per g mucosa was similar in the C and R groups. There was no significant effect of treatment on the activity of lactase (beta-glucosidase; EC 3.2.1.23) or sucrase (sucrose-alpha-glucosidase; EC 3.2.1.48) irrespective of the basis of comparison used. The specific activity (mumol/min per g protein) of maltase (alpha-glucosidase; EC 3.2.1.20) and of glucoamylase (glucan-1,4-alpha-glucosidase; EC 3.2.1.3) were similar in C and R groups but activities of maltase (mumol/g mucosa) (P less than 0.05), and maltase and glucoamylase (mol/d) (P less than 0.01) were significantly higher in C pigs. Villous height and crypt depth were significantly greater in C pigs (P less than 0.001 and P less than 0.05 respectively). Enteroglucagon was significantly (P less than 0.05) higher in C compared with R pigs. Xylose absorption and the digestibility of energy were not affected by treatment. Digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein (nitrogen x 6.25) and carbohydrate were significantly higher (P less than 0.001, P less than 0.01, P less than 0.05 and P less than 0.001 respectively) in R pigs compared with C pigs but the differences were small, ranging from 1.3 to 2.5%. These results demonstrate that (1) nutrient intake in the weaned pig affects the anatomy, morphology and function of the gut, (2) there is considerable 'spare capacity' for digestion of cereal-based diets even in pigs weaned at 14 d of age, (3) measurements in vitro of digestive function are of limited value unless supported by information in vivo on absorption/digestibility.