Journal of Animal Science, Vol 70, Issue 7 2188-2194, Copyright © 1992 by American Society of Animal Science

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Effect of recombinant porcine somatotropin and dietary protein on pancreatic digestive enzymes in the pig

B. Hibbard, J. P. Peters, R. Y. Shen and S. T. Chester
Performance Enhancement Research, Upjohn Company, Kalamazoo, MI 49001.

This study was conducted to determine the effect of daily recombinant porcine somatotropin (rpST) injection (0 or 120 micrograms/kg BW) and dietary CP level of the feed (14 or 26% CP) on pancreatic characteristics of growing pigs. Daily injection of rpST did not affect pancreatic weight (P = .885) but did decrease pancreatic amylase content (P = .005). The ratios of amylase:protein and amylase:trypsin were also lowered by daily rpST injection (P = .002 and P = .0002, respectively). There were protein x rpST and protein x rpST x sex interactions for the ratio of amylase:chymotrypsin. The CP content of the diet had a greater effect than the injection of rpST on pancreatic characteristics. Pigs consuming the 26% CP diet had significantly higher pancreatic weight (P = .003) and greater total pancreatic chymotrypsin (P = .006) than pigs consuming the 14% CP diet. The ratios of trypsin and chymotrypsin to DNA were also higher in pigs fed the 26% CP diet (P = .007 and P = .005, respectively). These responses were not influenced by sex. Recombinant porcine somatotropin seemed to have a slight effect on porcine pancreatic characteristics; however, dietary protein had a greater effect on pancreatic characteristics in market-weight hogs.