Impact of diet composition on ileal digestibility and small intestinal morphology in early-weaned pigs fitted with a T-cannula

Abstract

Piglets, separated from their dam at 12 days of age and fed a milk substitute hourly, were used as a model for suckling. Animals were fitted with a terminal ileal T-cannula and a jugular vein catheter. At 28 days of age, half of the pigs had a dietary change to a cereal-based weaner diet fed as slurry, and the others remained on milk substitute. Animals were labelled by oral administration of 15 N-labelled yeast for 10 days (days 15 to 25). Blood samples were taken twice a day to monitor 15 N enrichment of the blood plasma. Diets included polyethylenglycol (PEG 4000) to allow calculation of apparent ileal digestibility of nitrogen and individual amino acids. Ileal bacterial nitrogen was calculated from D-alanine content of the digesta. Furthermore, small intestinal (SI) villus height and crypt depth were measured. Feed intake was increased by the dietary change. The total nitrogen flow was 3.2 6 0.4 g/day and 5.9 6 0.4 for the milk and weaner diet, respectively. Endogenous nitrogen flow at the terminal ileum was similar for both groups (milk diet 2.4 6 0.4 v. weaner diet 2.2 6 0.3 g/day), whereas the bacterial nitrogen content (0.08 6 0.01 g/day milk diet v. 0.15 6 0.01 g/day weaner diet, P , 0.01) and exogenous nitrogen flow (0.94 6 0.16 g/day milk diet v. 3.29 6 0.12 g/day weaner diet, P , 0.001) increased significantly in the weaner-diet group. The ileal apparent digestibility coefficient of protein was 0.81 6 0.06 and 0.68 6 0.01 for the milk replacer and the weaner diet, respectively. Morphology measurements made along the SI at 25%, 50% and 75% were similar between piglets fed milk replacer and those fed a cereal-based weaner diet. The only statistical effect ( P , 0.01) of dietary change was an increase in crypt depth in the weaner-diet group. In conclusion, pigs, following a dietary change analogous to weaning, lack the capacity to fully digest a standard weaner diet. This may result in an increased nutrient content entering the large intestine and an altered microbiota. In the absence of a period of anorexia, often associated with traditional weaning, we saw no evidence of villous atrophy, but report here a significant crypt hyperplasia, especially at the 75% level, as a result of dietary change.

What Is the Impact of Diet on Nutritional Diarrhea Associated with Gut Microbiota in Weaning Piglets: A System Review

“…However, the mechanism between protein fermentation and the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is still unknown. Some studies showed that a high-protein diet led to a higher incidence of PWND [6,35]. Interestingly, an increase in ammonia concentration has a detrimental effect on the health of the GIT and a negative effect on the growth and differentiation of intestinal epithelial cells [49,50].…”

“…Because of such stressors, piglets are often characterized with reduced growth performance and an increased prevalence of diarrhea after weaning [4,5]. When undergoing the transition from a milk-based diet to a weaned diet, the piglets suffer a severe decrease in feed intake for a couple of days after weaning [6]. Furthermore, in order to adapt to the new environment, the composition of the gastrointestinal microbiota is also modified as a result of changes in feeding behavior and diet composition [6].…”

Impact of dietary protein on microbiota composition and activity in the gastrointestinal tract of piglets in relation to gut health: a review

“…Abrupt weaning of young piglets is characterized by a sudden transit from a milk-based to a solid feed-based diet (Kluess et al, 2010). As a result, a marked decrease in voluntary feed intake may occur before the piglets adapt to solid feed (e.g.…”

“…Hopwood and Hampson, 2003). Changes in feeding behavior and diet composition are also reflected in considerable alterations in the composition of the gastrointestinal microbiota adapting to the new environment (Kluess et al, 2010). This period is often associated with a growth check because of a high incidence of gastrointestinal disorders such as PWD (Aherne et al, 1992).…”

Dietary chlorogenic acid improves growth performance of weaned pigs through maintaining antioxidant capacity and intestinal digestion and absorption function

“…Pigs often suffer from nutritional, physiological, and social stresses during the weaning process (Kim et al, 2012). Those stressful events usually weaken the digestion and absorption of nutrients and induce oxidative stress in pigs, which are responsible for the growth retardation and diarrhea observed in the first 2 wk after weaning, and subsequently induce great economic loss to the livestock production (Kluess et al, 2010;Zhu et al, 2012). Thus, how to alleviate the negative effects of weaning stress has becoming a major concern for the pig industry.…”