EFFECTS OF THE ADDITION OF TROFIC AGENTS IN WEANED PIGLETS DIET ON THE EXPRESSION OF THE ENZYME ORNITHINE DECARBOXYLASE, ON THE CONTENTS OF PROTEIN AND DNA AND ON PERFORMANCE

Abstract

Two experiments were carried out to evaluate the effect of adding glutamine, fish oil or yeast cellular wall to the diet of weaned piglets on the expression of the enzyme ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), the protein content and DNA in small intestine samples and on performance. In the first experiment, 24 weaned piglets were used to measure the performance at the phases prestarter, starter 1 and starter 2. Four diets were tested (T1 - basal diet (BD); T2 - BD + 1% of glutamine; T3 - BD + 0,2% of yeast cellular wall; T4 - BD + 5% of fish oil). At the second experiment 45 weaned piglets were used and distributed in a randomized block design, in factorial outline with four diets and three slaughter ages (on the day of weaning, on the seventh and fourteenth days postweaning). The tested diets did not alter the piglets’ performance in none of the phases. There was reduction of the expression of the ODC enzyme, of the protein concentration and of the relationship protein/DNA to the seven days postweaning, with increase of the values on the 14^th day, evidencing a state of hypotrophy of the mucous membrane, suggesting that the process of protein synthesis in the small intestine was diminished in the first week after weaning, but it presented recovery signs in the second week.

KEYWORDS: glutamine; polyunsaturated fatty acids; prebiotic; swine.