Effects of methionine on plasma biochemical parameters and intestinal digestive and absorptive function in intrauterine growth-retarded weanling piglets

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of methionine on plasma biochemical parameters and intestinal digestive and absorptive function in weanling piglets with intrauterine growth retardation ( IUGR) . Methods: After weaning ( 21 d of postnatal age) , thirty female normal birth weight ( NBW) piglets were assigned to receive the control diet ( NBW-CON) , and sixty same-sex IUGR piglets were randomly assigned to receive the control diet ( IUGR-CON) or the control diet supplemented with 0.12% methionine ( IUGR-MET) for 28 d, each group consisted of six replicates with five piglets per replicate.Results: Compared with NBW-CON piglets, the plasma urea nitrogen content of piglets in IUGR-CON group was increased, whereas the plasma total protein and D-xylose contents were significantly decreased ( p < 0.05) . In addition, the apparent digestibility of crude protein and gross energy, the activity of trypsin in the jejunal digesta, and the activities of alkaline phosphatase and Na+-K+-ATPase in the jejunal mucosa of piglets in IUGR-CON group were also significantly decreased ( p < 0.05) . Compared with piglets in IUGR-CON group, IUGR-MET piglets had decreased plasma urea nitrogen content, whereas increased plasma D-xylose content ( p < 0.05) . Dietary supplementation of 0.12% methionine significantly alleviated the decreased apparent digestibility of crude protein, the activity of trypsin in jejunal digesta, and the activity of Na+-K+-ATPase in jejunal mucosa ( p < 0.05) .Conclusion: Dietary supplementation of 0.12% methionine significantly decreased plasma urea nitrogen content and partially improved digestive and absorptive function in the intestine of IUGR weanling piglets.