Effect of Dietary Glutamine Supplementation on Intestinal Structure and Functions in Piglets Fed on Diets Containing Raw Soybean

Eighteen piglets weaned at the 28 d of age were randomly assigned to one of three groups (0%,1%,2%glutamine supplementation).The basal diet contained 5% raw soybean.The diets were calculated to be isonitrogenous and isoenergetic.The piglets were killed at 49 d of age.The results showed that dietary glutamine supplementation increased the content of duodenum protein.In treatment Ⅱ,duodunum protein content were significantly higher than that in treatment Ⅰ and control.In jejunum and ileum,there was a trend for protein content to rise with increasing glutamine dosage.There were no significant differences in intestinal DNA content.In treatment Ⅰ and Ⅱ,the ileum mucosal weight were significantly lower than that in control,but there were no significant differences in duodenum and jejunum mucosal weight.Dietary glutamine supplementation in creased the villus height in duodenum and middle jejunum;In treatment Ⅰ and Ⅱ,the duodenum villus height were significantly higher than that in control.The jejunum villus height in treatment Ⅰ was significantly higher than that in control.There were no significant differences of villus height in proximal and distal jejunum.The mucosal thickness were unchanged in control and treatment.There were no significant differences in activities of lactase and leucylaminopeptidase.The results show that dietary glutamine supplementation had protective effect on intestinal injury in piglets fed on diets containing raw soybean.