title: Small intestine growth and morphometry in piglets weaned at 7 days of age. effects of level of energy intake.
abstract: Two trials involving a total of 56 pigs were conducted to examine the effects of weaning at 7 d of age (trial 1) and of energy intake level and length of post-weaning underfeeding period (trial 2) on small intestinal (SI) development and morphometry. At 3 d after weaning, weight of the SI and mucosa (g/kg body weight) and villous height along SI were reduced by 20, 36 and 41%, respectively, compared to the day of weaning. Intestinal morphometrical changes are dependent on SI site and days post-weaning. Villous atrophy on d 3 and recovery on d 14 post-weaning were greater and occurred earlier in the proximal than in the medial and distal SI. Villous height was dependent on the level of energy intake which explains 56% of the variations in proximal SI villous height in weaned pigs and 73% when data of the sow-reared pigs were included in the analysis. Moreover, after 4 d of refeeding, underfed piglets showed similar villous characteristics to piglets fed a continuously high feeding level after weaning stressing that capacities of intestinal restoration were not affected by the length of the post-weaning underfeeding period. Overall, the present results suggest a spatial and temporal effect of weaning on villous atrophy and recovery, and that the level of energy intake is a major factor accounting for the post-weaning villous height.
authors.affiliation: Unité Mixte de Recherches sur le Veau et le Porc, INRA, 35590 St-Gilles, France.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marion
authors.forename: Marzena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Biernat
authors.forename: Françoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Gérard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Savary
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Le Breton
authors.forename: Romuald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zabielski
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Le Huërou-Luron
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Le Dividich
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001284:Atrophy / Q000662:veterinary; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000473:pathology*; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008871:Microvilli / Q000473:pathology; D013552:Swine / Q000254:growth & development*; D014886:Weaning