[Nutrition of young piglets in relation to weaning problems].

Weaning at the age of 3-4 weeks has great consequences for piglets. The consequences of the change from milk to solid food are discussed with regard to the supply of nutrients, the available enzyme capacity of the digestive tract, and the morphological and functional changes in the gut. A number of preventive measures are discussed, with a distinction being made between general measures, measures related to the composition of the diet, and measures related to specific additives.

Weaning piglets, microbial fermentation, short chain fatty acids and diarrhoea.

The effect of weaning on the absorptive capacity of the large intestine (LI) of weaned and unweaned pigs for short chain fatty acids (SCFA), sodium, potassium, and water has been determined by perfusion studies. Ligated loops were formed at four sites in the LI. In both groups the rate of absorption of SCFA, sodium and potassium was increased from the proximal to the distal sites, but this increase was not followed by an increase in the absorption of water.

Weaning and the weanling diet influence the villous height and crypt depth in the small intestine of pigs and alter the concentrations of short-chain fatty acids in the large intestine and blood.

Effects of weaning pigs to different diets have been investigated in terms of the changes in the small intestinal morphology, and in the absorption of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and sodium from the large intestine. One piglet from each of six litters containing nine pigs was sampled on the day of weaning; the other eight piglets were divided into four equal groups and fed different diets as follows: unweaned, weanling diet, or sow's milk at high or low level. Four and seven days after weaning, measurements of the intestinal tissue and contents were made; the plasma concentrations of SCFA, aldosterone and sodium were also measured.

Role of the large intestine in the pathogenesis of diarrhea in weaned pigs.

Objective: To determine whether the large intestine may have a role in counterbalancing the loss of fluid from the small intestine of pigs with diarrhea.

Animals: 2 groups of pigs (1 from a specific-pathogen-free herd and 1 from a herd with a history of diarrhea).

Procedure: At weaning and 4, 7, 11, and 14 days after weaning, the percentage of dry matter in the large intestinal contents, total and individual concentrations and volatile fatty acids in large-intestinal contents and blood, and concentration of aldosterone in the blood were measured.