Evaluation of clinical parameters and lesions in pig organs during post-weaning period

Abstract

To evaluate the effect of early weaning on clinical parameters, development and occurrence of lesions in organs of systemic importance, and weight gain in pigs evaluations were carried out. The experiment was conducted in the San Pablo Production Research Center of the Universidad Nacional de Colombia (Medellín). We used 16 weaned pigs at 21 days of age. The animals were fed for 10 days with a basal diet (milk). Four pigs were slaughtered on days 1, 5, 7 and 10 post-weaning and samples of intestine, stomach, liver, pancreas, heart, lungs, kidneys and spleen were extracted. Congestion, edema, and hemorrhage were the lesions determined; a value according to the degree of presentation was assigned: absent (0), mild (1), mild-moderate (2), moderate-severe (3), severe (4). The animals were weighed on weaning day, and the day of slaughter. Statistical difference (P and lt; 0.01) was found in macroscopic appearance of lesions, organ weight, rectal temperature, and weight gain. On the first day of post-weaning the highest values were observed. On the other hand, the lowest values were observed in the day fifth. However by day 10 after weaning an increase of the injuries was observed. The variable occurrence of diarrhea showed an opposite performance (P and lt; 0.01). Weaning is associated with multiple factors leading to the early inflammatory response and the high incidence of diarrhea during post-weaning period.

El destete de cerdos estã asociado con multiples factores que generan respuestas infiamatorias tem- pranas en órganos internos y alta incidencia de diarreas. En el Centro de Investigación San Pablo de la Universidad Nacional de Colombia sede Medellín, se evaluaron los parámetros clínicos y las lesiones en órganos internos en dieciséis cerdos destetados a veintiún días de edad, que fueron alimentados durante diez días con una dieta a base de leche. Cada uno, cinco, siete y diez días posdestete, se sa- crificaron cuatro cerdos y se tomaron para estudio muestras de intestino delgado, est%mago, hIgado, páncreas, corazón, pulmones, riñones y bazo. Las lesiones determinadas fueron congestión, edema, y hemorragia; se asignó un valor según el grado de presentación: ausente (0), leve (1), leve-moderada (2), moderada+severa 53