EFFECT OF 2 LEVELS OF PROTEIN SUGAR-CANE JUICE (GUARAPRO) ON THE MORPHOMETRIC INDEXES OF THE GASTROINTESTINAL-TRACT OF PIGLETS AT 4 WEEKS AFTER WEANING

Fifteen weaned piglets of 4 weeks of age from a rotational cross were distributed according to a completely randomized design with 3 treatme nts, for studying the effect of including protein sugar cane juice (0, 20 and 30% of the DM of the diet) on some morphometric indicators in different sections of the gastrointestinal tract (stomach, small intes tine, large intestine and caecum) and their accesory organs (liver, pa ncreas and kidneys). There were no significant differences in absolute weight (g) of the sections of the gastrointestinal tract or their rel ative value to body weight (g/kg), except those of the small intestine which differed significantly (P < 0.05) (580.3; 650.8; 525.6) and (48 .7; 60.4; 41.8) in the absolute and relative weights, respectively. Th ere was no dietetic effect on liver, pancreas and kidney weights. The indices of stomach and caecal surfaces did not vary between treatments . It is concluded that the inclusion of up to 30% of protein sugar can e juice in piglet diets from 0 to 4 weeks after weaning is possible wi thout producing noticeable changes in the morphometric indicators of t he storage and accesory organs of the gastrointestinal tract.