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This Article Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: jas.2008-1348v1 87/5/1686    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Le Floc’h, N. Articles by Sève, B. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Le Floc’h, N. Articles by Sève, B.

The effect of sanitary status degradation and dietary tryptophan content on growth rate and tryptophan metabolism in weaning pigs

N. Le Floc’h^*,, L. LeBellego , J. J. Matte, D. Melchior and B. Sève^*,

^* INRA, UMR1079 SENAH, F-35000 Rennes, France , Agrocampus Rennes, UMR1079, F-35000 Rennes, France , Ajinomoto-Eurolysine S.A.S., 153 rue de Courcelles, Paris, France Centre de R & D sur le Bovin Laitier et le Porc, Agriculture et Agroalimentaire Canada, Lennoxville, QC, Canada

Nathalie.lefloch{at}rennes.inra.fr

Abstract

Health degradation modifies Trp metabolism through induction of Trp catabolism. This could limit the amount of Trp available for growth. The aims of the present experiment were to investigate the effects of a low grade inflammation and dietary Trp on growth and Trp metabolism. Eighty weaned pigs were assigned to 4 experimental treatments according to a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement: 2 sanitary statuses x 2 dietary Trp contents. The Trp content was either deficient (Low-Trp: 2.4 and 1.9 g of Trp/kg of the Phase I and Phase II diets, respectively) or adequate (High-Trp: 2.9 and 2.4 g of Trp/kg of the Phase I and Phase II diets, respectively). A low grade inflammatory response was induced by housing pigs in unsanitary environment, whereas control pigs were housed in good sanitary conditions. Pigs were not fed ad libitum to avoid feed refusals. Growth performance was calculated 3, 5, and 7 wk after weaning. Blood was sampled 12, 33, and 47 d after weaning for the determination of plasma concentrations of Trp and related metabolites, kynurenine and pyridoxal-5-phosphate. The interaction between sanitary status and dietary Trp was not statistically significant in all measured criteria. Pigs kept in poor sanitary conditions grew slower (P < 0.001) during the entire experimental period and had higher plasma concentrations of haptoglobin (P < 0.001) than pigs housed in good sanitary conditions. Pigs housed in poor sanitary conditions had also lower Trp plasma concentrations (P < 0.001), but plasma kynurenine concentrations were not affected. Our results indicated that a moderate inflammatory response was obtained by degrading the sanitary quality of environment. Additionally, poor sanitary conditions modified Trp metabolism, indicating that the amount of Trp available for growth and other metabolic functions might be reduced.

Key Words: growth • haptoglobin • pigs • tryptophan