EFFECT OF PRECLOSURE COLOSTRUM INTAKE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INTESTINAL EPITHELIUM OF ARTIFICIALLY REARED PIGLETS

Trophic factors in mammalian colostrum promote the growth of the small intestine of neonates. To investigate the effect of colostrum feeding on the expression of specific intestinal proteins, animals were reare d in a minimal disease unit and fed either sow colostrum or a commerci al substitute by gastric intubation at 3-hour intervals over the first 24 h of life. Animals were then reared on a commercial milk replacer and fed over a maximum period of 5 weeks. Intestinal protein, DNA and histology data suggested a positive effect of colostrum on intestinal growth in the initial postnatal period. At week 1 post partum intestin al lactase was found to decline significantly in colostrum-fed (CF) pi glets compared to substitute-fed animals. This effect was no longer ap parent at 3 and 5 weeks post partum. Sucrase activity was significantl y greater in CF piglets and this effect was sustained during the 5 pos tpartum weeks studied. The changes in enzyme activity could be correla ted with posttranslational sialylation of intestinal membranes. These result suggest that feeding colostrum enhances the maturational declin e in lactase activity and the expression of sucrase activity. The role of glycosylation of enzyme proteins in relation to their biological a ctivity is discussed.