Abstract
Five experiments were conducted to determine the effects of supplemental free Lglutamine (GLN) on growth performance, intestinal morphology and recovery of GLN in duodenal digesta in the 21-d old pig. In Exp. I and 2, supplementing either corn-soybean meal or com-dried skim milk-soybean meal diets with up to 1% GLN did not affect performance during the 21-d postweaning period, or during the subsequent 21-d period when pigs were not fed supplemental GLN. In Exp. 1, GLN increased (P < .05) the plasma concentrations of aspartate, valine and taurine, but had no effect (P > .05) on those of other amino acids. In Exp. 3, pigs were fed the corn-soybean basal diet used in Exp. I with 0 or 1.0% GLN added. Five pigs were sacrificed at d 0, 7 or 14 postweaning to determine average villus height (VH) and lamina propria depth (LPD) in the duodenum and jejunum. A linear age effect (P < .01) was found for LPD and a quadratic age effect (P<.Ol)for villus height. Supplemental GLN did not affect (P>,IO)VHorLPD in the duodenum, but prevented (P < IO) VH atrophy in the jejunum on d 7 (358 vs. 27011m). Experiment 4 was conducted to determine if dietary free GLN would pass through the stomach intact. Pigs fitted with a T-cannula in the mid-duodenum were used to collect digesta leaving the stomach. The basal com-skim milk-soybean meal diet from Exp. 2 was used with 0 or 1.0% GLN. Free GLN levels were higher (P <.001) in the duodenal digesta from pigs fed 1.0% GLN (1.49 vs. .19% of dry matter) but glutamic acid concentrations were similar (P > .10) between diets. Experiment 5 was designed to determine if up to 5.0% GLN would affect intestinal morphology in 21-d old pigs fed the corn-soybean meal diet in Exp. 1. Supplemental GLN did not affect VH or LPD over the 14-d period. These studies indicate that GLN is not significantly hydrolyzed to glutamic acid in the piglet's stomach, appears to have a beneficial effect on villus height postweaning but does not affect growth performance.
Meier, Sabina Ann (1995). Glutamine supplementation to diets of 21-day old pigs. Master's thesis, Texas A&M University. Available electronically from
https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /ETD -TAMU -1995 -THESIS -M453.