New Books 2001 - Reviews

All book reviews: index

Digestive Physiology of Pigs     **2001**
Edited by Dr. J.E. Lindberg & Dr. B. Ogle
Dept. of Animal Nutrition and Management
Swedish University of Agricultural Science
Hardback 448 pages List price: US$140   UK£75
Published by CABI International ISBN 0-85199-517-9
Contents list (in new window)
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This book is a big book and is not an easy read. It is the edited and revised papers presented at the 8th Symposium on Digestive Physiology in Pigs held in Uppsala in June 2000. It is divided into seven parts and contains 107 items.

Part I: Gut development and function contains 15 excellent chapters.
Chapter 1 on transitions in the life of the gut at birth is a model for the rest of the chapters. It is essential to understand the ontogeny of the gastrointestinal tract.
Chapter 6 (Hedemann and Jensen) shows that the digestion of fat may be of special concern after weaning as the activity of lipolytic enzymes in small intestinal contents is low, whereas the activity of trypsin is increasing.
Chapter 8 (Marion et al) produced data to show that an overall decline in the growth of piglets as well as in the pancreas and SI digestive function during the first post-weaning days. Digestive capacity is affected in the period immediately after weaning by chance in both the amount and composition of food intake, but adaptations occur rapidly. As early as seven days of age, pancreas and SI function are able to be enhanced and a very early weaning may stimulate maturation of both pancreas and SI digestive enzymes.
Chapters 9 and 10 discuss the role of glucagon-life peptide in stimulating intestinal nutrient absorption. It apparently does so by decreasing proteolysis and apoptosis in parenterally fed premature piglets.

Chapter 11 (Biernat et al) shows that formula feeding leads to a marked delay in intestinal mucosa maturation.

Chapter 15 (Lawlor et al) describes the effect of weaning diet on the intestinal morphology of young piglets and concluded that post-weaning diet does influence intestinal morphology.

Part II: (only three chapters). This part concentrates on the gastro-intestinal immune system.
In chapter 16 (Stokes et al) describe the development and function of the pig gastro-intestinal immune system, and concentrate on the aberrant immune responses in the post-weaning period that may predispose to bacterial infection and disease.

Part III: discusses nutrient absorption and utilisation by the gut and discusses nutrient requirements for intestinal growth and metabolism. There are seven chapters here discussing the effects of methionine, fermentable components, arginine and proline synthesis, diet composition, (-ketoglutaric acid and threonine .

Part IV: discusses digestive processes . There are 42 papers in this section and many are highly specific topics which need to be carefully looked at to give a composite understanding of digestive processes, but the major emphasis of these chapters is towards the biochemist and nutritionist.

Part V: The nineteen chapters in this section are concerned with econutirion and health maintenance. All the great names of gut health are here. For example, chapter 69 is on the dietary manipulation of enteric disease by the three well-known Australian proponents of these theories (Hampson, Pluske and Pethick). They discuss these influences with special reference to the pars oesophagea, post-weaning colibacillosis, swine dysentery and porcine intestinal spirochaetosis.
Later, in another chapter, they also discuss the deleterious effects of soluble non-starch polysaccharides on the performance of healthy and E.coli affected weaner pigs. Melin et al, in chapter 82, showed that zinc oxide treated pigs had less pronounced E.coli diversity and gained weight more rapidly, and Rossi et al (chapter 84) showed that inulin (a natural polymer of fructose) could block adhesion of F4+ E.coli to the small intestinal villi. Harvey et al (chapter 88) showed a reduced level of campylobacter carriage (0-19%) when pigs were reared in separate nurseries. On the sow the levels in piglets were 89-100%.
Other chapters discuss soyabean, fermented liquid feed and gastro-intestinal health. The effects of oligosaccharides are also discussed. A porcine intestinal organ culture model to study the adhesion of salmonella and E.coli in vitro is also described. The effects of virginiamycin on the histology of the small intestinal mucosa of piglets are also discussed.

Part VI: is entitled Free Communications. One of the most important papers in this section is the one by Beal et al (chapter 99) which describes the survival of E.coli in fermented liquid feed and shows how temperature sensitive the system is and how various strains have different responses, e.g. 0157 H7 is the most sensitive. Of particular value to the reviewer was the article by Brenner et al (chapter 102) on the surgical stomach removal process in swine as a model for human obesity.

All in all, the 107 chapters provide information on all of the areas which are important in discussions of the digestive tract. It is good value for money and provides much insight into many areas necessary for successful pig practice

Dr. S.H. Done
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