Effects of age and diet on the development of the pancreas and the synthesis and secretion of pancreatic enzymes in the young pig.

Effects of age and diet composition on amylase, trypsin and chymotrypsin activities in the pancreas and intestinal contents, pancreas weights and body weights were determined from birth to 56 d. A total of 120 pigs, five to seven pigs/litter from 18 litters, were slaughtered at birth, 14, 27, 29, 31, 42 and 56 d. Litters were allotted to dietary treatments (corn-soy, A; corn-soy + 20% dried whey, B; corn-soy + 5% lard, C) and offered these diets as creep feed at 14 d. All pigs were weaned at 28 d, placed in elevated nursery pens and fed their respective diets. Total activities of amylase, trypsin and chymotrypsin in the pancreas and small intestine increased (P less than .05) with age. Both trypsin and amylase activities, measured per kilogram body weight or gram pancreas weight, were low at 29 d in the intestine and increased to 56 d. Pigs on diet B had the highest level of trypsin and chymotrypsin in the intestinal contents (P less than .05). Trypsin activity in the pancreas (units/kg body weight) was lowest (P less than .05) for pigs on diet B and highest (P less than .05) for those on diet C (units/g pancreas and units/kg body weight). Amylase activity (units/kg body weight) was lower (P less than .05) in the pancreas for pigs on diet B than for those on diets A and C. Pigs on diet A had lower (P less than .01) intestinal amylase activities than those on diets B and C. Enzyme activities in the intestinal contents and pancreas were low following weaning. In the pancreas, activities decreased at 31 d.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)