Post-weaning Failure to Thrive in Pigs is Associated with Increased Organ Weights and Possible Anemia, but not Changes in Intestinal Function

摘要

A total of 96 weanling barrows were utilized in a 27 d experiment to determine the effects of post-weaning failure to thrive (PFTS) on organ weight, blood chemistry, and small intestine physiology and function. Thirty-two pigs from each of the lightest, median, and heaviest weight categories at weaning were placed in individual metabolism cages and allowed ad libitum access to water and a common nursery diet. After a 5 d acclimation period, growth rate was evaluated for 27 d. Pigs with ADG that were below two standard deviations from the mean were termed pigs with PFTS (n = 4). All other pigs were considered normal contemporaries. After the 27 d experiment, pigs were fasted overnight and humanely euthanized. Organs were emptied of digesta and weighed, blood was collected for analysis in a complete blood panel and white blood cell differential, and ileal samples taken for morphology and absorptive capacity analyses. Pigs with PFTS had increased (P \u3c 0.02) stomach, intestine, kidney, and liver weights relative to body size. Additionally, PFTS pigs had decreased (P \u3c 0.05) hemoglobin hematocrit, albumin, sodium, and anion gap concentrations, suggesting either anemia or increased dehydration compared to normal pigs. Finally, PFTS was associated with increased ileal villous crypt depth (P \u3c 0.0001), but not with villous height or differences in absorptive capacity of various glucose or amino acids. These data suggest that pigs with PFTS may have a higher maintenance cost due to increased organ weight and a possible anemia or imbalance of blood chemistry. However, differences in post-weaning performance do not appear to affect small intestine function.