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The Development of Digestive Capacity in Young Pigs: Effects of Age and Weaning System^1,2,

North Carolina State University⁵, Raleigh 27650

Abstract

Two experiments with 49 crossbred pigs were conducted to examine the effects of age and weaning system on various indicators of digestive development and capacity. In Exp. 1, pigs reared exclusively by the sow with no access to creep feed were killed at 1, 8, 16 and 22 d of age. Other pigs, weaned at 16 d of age to a milk protein diet fed either in dry or liquid form, were killed at 22 d of age. In Exp. 2, pigs were reared exclusively by the sow and killed at 14, 17 and 21 d of age. All data are expressed as units per kilogram body weight. The pH of stomach contents increased during the first week of age. Stomach pH was higher in weaned pigs than in sow-reared pigs at 22 d of age. Sow-reared pigs showed little change with age in amount of stomach contents. Intestinal length tended to decrease with age. Intestinal weight per unit length increased with age and was higher in weaned pigs. Weaned pigs had a larger pancreas than pigs reared by the sow. In Exp. 1, proteolytic activity of stomach contents decreased with age until 22 d when an increase in activity occurred. The activity in weaned pigs was greater than that in sow-reared pigs. Intestinal trypsin activity increased at 22 d of age and was higher in weaned pigs. Intra-pancreatic trypsin activity increased from 1 to 8 d of age, after which there was little change. Less activity was found in the pancreas of weaned pigs than in that of sow-reared pigs of the same age. Intestinal chymotrypsin activity tended to increase with age. Weaned pigs had higher levels of activity in the intestine than did sow-reared pigs. Pancreatic chymotrypsin activity increased with age in sow-reared pigs. Lower levels of pancreatic chymotrypsin activity were found in weaned pigs than in sow-reared pigs. In Exp. 2, similar results were obtained with 14-, 17- and 21-d-old pigs. These results indicate that development of the digestive system in the young pig undergoes dramatic changes from birth to 3 wk of age and at weaning.

¹ Paper No. 7024 of the Journal Ser. of the North Carolina Agr. Res. Service, Raleigh. The use of trade names in this article does not imply endorsement by the North Carolina Agr. Res. Service of the products named, nor criticism of similar ones not mentioned.

² The statistical advice of Dr. A. C. Linnerud is greatly appreciated.

³ Present address: Bowman-Gray School of Medicine, Winston - Salem, NC.

⁴ Present address: Carl S. Akey, Inc., Lewisburg, Ohio.

⁵ Dept. of Anim. Sci.