(3) and (4) (P < 0-05 and P = 0-073, respectively). In turn, villous height was significantly correlated (r = 0-78 to 0-87, P < 0-05) with the rate of bodyweight gain after weaning in these two groups. For piglets offered ewes' milk plus glutamine, an increase in DM intake was associated only with increases in crypt depth (P < 0-01). These data show that the structure and function of the small intestine can be preserved when a milk diet is given after weaning, and suggest an association between food intake and villous height in determining post-weaning weight gain.
were offered ewes' fresh milk every 2 h in a feeding schedule that increased from 1-2 I per piglet on the 1st day after weaning to 2-4 I on days 4 and 5. On the 5th day all piglets were killed and samples of small intestine were taken for histological and biochemical examination. Feeding ewes' milk or ewes' milk plus 20 g L-glutamine per I maintained (P > 0-05) villous height and crypt depth compared with piglets killed at weaning. In contrast, piglets given a dry starter diet had shorter villi (P < 0-001), deeper crypts (P < 0-001), and proportionately 0-21 to 0-28 less protein (P>0-05) in their intestinal mucosa. Piglets given the starter diet proportionately grew from 0-49 to 0-62 more slowly (P < 0-01), ate the same amount of dry matter (DM; P > 0-05), but consumed proportionately 0-30 less energy (P < 0-001) than their counterparts given the milk diets. No treatment differences in the specific activity of lactase and sucrase were observed (P>0-05). Significant correlations existed between voluntary food intake and villous height at the proximal jejunum for piglets given the starter diet and ewes' milk