Effects of different combinations of dietary starch and non-starch polysaccharides on intestinal functions, and lipid and glucose metabolism in weaned pigs

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of different combinations of dietary starch and non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) on intestinal functions, and lipid and glucose metabolism in pigs. Fifty-four weaned pigs weighing 6.71 ± 0.52 kg were randomly assigned according to body weight and sex to 3 treatments with 6 replicates per treatment and 3 pigs per replicate, and were fed: T1 diet containing starch with amylose/amylopectin (AM/AP) ratio of 1:1 and NSP 3% (a mixture of inulin and cellulose in a ratio 1:1), T2 diet with starch of AM/AP ratio 2:1 and NSP 1% or T3 diet containing starch with AM/AP ratio of 1:2 and NSP 2%. Pigs were fed experimental diets for 28 days. It was shown that in animals fed T1 diet mRNA expression of glucagon-like peptide-2, zonula occludens 1 and occludin (P < 0.05) were up-regulated and tended to be increased the mRNA level of insulin-like growth factor-1 (P = 0.06) in colon, the activity of lactase in jejunum was increased (P < 0.05), mRNA expression of insulin receptor substrate 1 and glucose-6-phosphatase in liver were improved (P < 0.05), and the activity of lipoprotein lipase (P < 0.05) was decreased and the activity of malate dehydrogenase tended to be enhanced (P = 0.07) in longissimus dorsi muscle. Feeding T1 diet promoted the intestinal functions and improved to some extent lipid and glucose metabolism in pigs. So, carbohydrates combination of starch with AM/AP ratio of 1:1 and NSP 3% can be recommended for weaned pigs.