title: Development of intestinal immunoglobulin absorption and enzyme activities in neonatal pigs is diet dependent.
abstract: Uptake of colostrum just after birth is essential to stimulate intestinal growth and function, and in many species, including pigs, colostrum also provides immunological protection via the absorption of immunoglobulin G (IgG). In this study, intestinal growth, IgG absorptive capacity and enzyme activities were investigated in newborn pigs in response to different diets. Newborn piglets were bottle-fed porcine colostrum (PC), bovine colostrum (BC), porcine plasma (PP), porcine milk (PM), bovine colostrum containing porcine plasma (BCP) or a milk replacer (MR) every 3 h (15 mL/kg) for up to 2 d. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) was added to the diets as a macromolecule marker. The percentage of absorbed BSA just after birth was highest for piglets fed the PC diet (30-50%), lower for those fed the BC and BCP diets (23-30%) and lowest for the PP, PM and MR diet-fed piglets (7-20%, P < 0.05 relative to those fed colostrum). Porcine IgG was absorbed more efficiently than bovine IgG. Intestinal closure occurred earlier in MR and BCP piglets (within 12 h after birth) than in PC pigs. At 2 d of age, intestinal mucosal weight (+120% increase from birth) and villus morphology were similar in the PC, BCP and MR groups. All 3 groups also had increased aminopeptidase A activity compared with values at birth (+100% increase). Compared with PC pigs, the BCP group had higher sucrase and maltase activities (+50% and +200%, respectively) and lower aminopeptidase N activity (-50%, P < 0.05). Similarly, MR pigs showed elevated sucrase activity (+40%) and lowered maltase, lactase and aminopeptidase N activities (-20% to -50%, P < 0.05) compared with PC pigs. We conclude that porcine and bovine colostrum contain factors that stimulate the intestinal endocytotic and enzymatic capacity in newborn pigs. A milk replacer can produce normal gut growth, but may be inefficient in mediating normal macromolecule transport and disaccharidase activity. Bovine colostrum mixed with porcine plasma proteins may be a useful substitute for porcine colostrum in artificial rearing of newborn pigs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science and Animal Health, Division of Animal Nutrition, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, DK-1870 Frederiksberg, Denmark.
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Elnif
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Burrin
authors.forename: P T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Sangild
mesh_terms: D000626:Aminopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000276:immunology*; D018826:CD13 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D002417:Cattle; D003126:Colostrum; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D043384:Glutamyl Aminopeptidase; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism*; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000254:growth & development; D007422:Intestines / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000254:growth & development*; D009929:Organ Size; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D013393:Sucrase / Q000378:metabolism; D013552:Swine / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology*; D000520:alpha-Glucosidases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D012709:Serum Albumin; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine; D000520:alpha-Glucosidases; D013393:Sucrase; D000626:Aminopeptidases; D018826:CD13 Antigens; D043384:Glutamyl Aminopeptidase