0
To achieve the objective, net absorption was studied in 24 piglets as described previously in the literature. These piglets belonged to 6 different sows, three of which were considered the control group. The other three were submitted to an intermittent suckling in order to increase creep feed intake by the piglets. From each sow four piglets were obtained to realize the study, two of the piglets were creep feed eaters, and the other two were determined as non creep feed eaters; Creep feed administered to the animals presented chromic oxide that coloured the faeces of the piglets. On day 4 after weaning the small intestine segment perfusion test was performed and thereafter the net absorption was determined. Perfusion test was done in 5 intestinal sites (in duplicate), one of the segments of the same site was perfused with phosphate buffered saline, and the other was perfused with buffer that contained enterotoxic E. coli. Net absorption was determined as the volume of the inflow minus the volume of the outflow, divided by the surface of a segment.
Results showed that although mean creep feed intake was higher in piglets from sows submitted to intermittent suckling, no modifications were found in the net absorption between piglets obtained from control or piglets obtained from intermittent suckling. Differences in the net absorption, however, were found between eaters and non eaters, irrespectively of the type of sows they were obtained from; Net absorption in creep feed eaters was higher than that presented by the non eaters. In the same way, net absorption was reduced when E.coli was perfused in the intestinal segment, no differences being found between creep feed eaters, and non-eaters.
Therefore, to stimulate feed intake of piglets before weaning is of great importance, yet it may increase net intestinal absorption reducing the risk of the animals to suffer diarrhoea during transition.
Kuller, W.I., van Beers-Schreurs, H.M.G., Soede, N.M., Langendijk, P., Taverne, M.A.M., Kemp, B., Verheijden, J.H.M. (2007) Livestock Science, 108: 99-101
