Morphological changes of the jejunum villi to different diets

The aim of this study was to evaluate morphological responses of the absorptive apparatus of the jejunum to different diet ingredients in weaning pigs. In this study, seven crossbred (Landrace×Large Yorkshire×Duroc) pigs, they were a litter, were used after weaning. Before weaning, they fed with creep feed for six days. Six pigs were divided into two groups ; one received dairy-based feed and the other received vegetable-based feed. The remaining pig was used as a non-treatment control. Dairy-based feed contained mainly animal-based feed, and vegetable-based feed contained mainly oil-seed cake and meal. Drinking water was provided ad libitum throughout the experimental period. Jejunum samples were collected immediately after weaning from a non-treated control pig (D0). The similar samples were collected from each 3 pigs of dairy-based feed and vegetable-based feed groups respectively, on 3 (D3) and 14 days (D14) after weaning. The samples were processed for morphological observation of absorptive epithelial cells and heights of villi and microvilli. A significant increase in height of intestinal villi on D3 and in size of the absorptive cells on D14 were found in animals that received vegetable-based feed , ultrastructural transition of epithelial cells on D3. An increases in microvilli height on D3 and D14 were seen in animals that received vegetable-based feed. Presumably, the ingredients of vegetable-based feed are more easily digested and absorbed through the intestinal wall than are ingredients of dairy-based feed. As a result, the growth of intestinal villi and (growth of) absorptive epithelial cells in vegetable-based feed group were greater than those in dairy-based feed group, leading to a more efficient absorptive function of the small intestine.