Digestive enzyme development in newborn piglets born of sows immunized against somatostatin and/or receiving growth hormone-releasing factor during gestation.

Thirty-eight second parity sows were either immunized (IMM) against somatostatin (SRIF) and/or injected with growth hormone-releasing factor (GRF) during gestation. Treatment effects on pancreatic, gastric and duodenal development as well as on digestive enzyme activity of piglets at birth (before suckling) or at 24 h postpartum were investigated. Birth weights of piglets were similar across treatments (p > 0.1). Weight, DNA, RNA, total protein content and enzyme activity for all three organs increased between birth and 24 h postpartum (p < 0.01), except for pancreatic RNA and chymotrypsin which decreased (p < 0.01), and protein content of the pancreas which was unaltered (p > 0.1). Gastric RNA, pancreatic weight:DNA, RNA:DNA and amylase:DNA ratios were increased in 1-day-old piglets from SRIF-IMM sows (p < or = 0.05). GRF only had significant effects (p < 0.05) on the maltase:DNA ratio, which it decreased. Yet, there were tendencies (p < 0.1) for duodenal weight, DNA and total protein content to be increased in piglets from GRF-injected dams. It is therefore apparent that major developmental changes of the pancreas, stomach and duodenum of piglets take place during the first 24 h postpartum. Injections of GRF and/or immunization against SRIF during gestation in swine also have several effects on digestive enzyme activity of neonatal pigs. Yet, the physiological implications of these early changes are not clear at the present time.