Role of nutrition and intestinal adaptation in weanling pig health

Douglas Burrin : USDA-ARS, Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Houston, TX, USA Summary The growth rate of the pig is most rapid during the neonatal and weaning periods. Nutrition and gastrointestinal function play a critical role in the survival, health and growth of the young pig during this transition from suckling to weaning. The high metabolic rate and cellular turnover of gut tissues result in substantial first-pass utilization of dietary nutrients, especially amino acids, to main