Abstract
This study attempted to determine effects of recombinant porcine epidermal growth factor (pEGF) and glutamine (Gln) supplement on the growth performance and intestinal development of piglets weaned at 14 days of age. A total of ninety-six piglets were allotted to one of four dietary treatments which comprised inclusion of 1.0 mg pEGF supematant/kg diet or 0.5% Gln both alone and in combination. Each treatment consisted of four replicates with six pigs per pen for a 28 days experimental period. Two pigs per replicate were sacrificed and gastrointestinal tract samples were collected on day 14. Data showed that dietary treatment failed to promote growth performance. On day 14, diets supplemented with pEGF elevated pancreatic chymotrypsin, jejunal alkaline phosphatase, sucrase, lactase and maltase activities (p<0.05), but failed to alter the small intestinal villus morphology, DNA, or protein content of gastrointestinal mucosa. Diets supplemented with Gln increased pancreatic chymotrypsin activity, tended to enhance the protein contents of gastric (p = 0.08) and jejunal mucosa (p = 0.09) but did not influence the serum IgA level or the enzyme activity in the gastrointestinal tract. On day 28, the diets supplemented with Gln increasedt (p<0.05) serum IgA and the proliferation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells by PHA stimulation. However, a combination of pEGF and Gln did not have a synergistic effect on these biomarkers in early-weaned piglets. The results demonstrate that diets supplemented with recombinant pEGF supernatant indeed improve intestinal digestive enzyme activity and diets supplemented with Gln increases the immune response in early-weaned piglets.
Highlights
Piglets at weaning are subjected to dietary, environmental and physiological stress, which may raise the risk of diarrhea or growth retardation
Diets supplemented with porcine epidermal growth factor (pEGF) or Gln had no effect on DNA or protein contents in these tissues
Diets supplemented with pEGF increased the jejunal alkaline phosphatase (ALP), sucrase, lactase, and maltase activities (p
Summary
Piglets at weaning are subjected to dietary, environmental and physiological stress, which may raise the risk of diarrhea or growth retardation. These problems occur owing to the changes of morphology and enzyme activities in the porcine small intestine after weaning (Fan et al, 2002; Hampson, 1986; Kenworthy, 1976). The. Epidermal growth factor (EGF), a polypeptide identified in the milk of different mammals including rats, humans and swine (Cohen and Elliott, 1963; Jaeger et al, 1987; Moran et al, 1983) is highly varies in animal species and lactation period.
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