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Porcine digestive peptides (PDP) are a coproduct of the heparin industry obtained from the enzymatic hydrolysis of porcine intestinal mucosa. Currently, PDP can be used in post-weaning diets as cheaper alternative to SDP, fishmeal and other sources of high-quality protein in terms of preference and digestibility, but knowledge about their influence on intestinal function is still scarce. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation of porcine digestible peptides (PDP), spray-dried plasma (SDP), or a combination of both, on growth performance and the expression of genes related to intestinal function of weaned pigs. For that purpose, a total of 180 piglets (trial 1) and 198 piglets (trial 2) were used to evaluate the partial substitution of soybean ingredients with 2% SDP or 2% PDP (trial 1), and with 3% SDP or the combination of 1% SDP and 2% PDP (SDP-PDP; trial 2) during the pre-starter period (0–14 days). The gene expression of 56 genes was quantified in a qPCR platform in jejunum and ileum samples obtained from piglets 14 d after weaning (trial 2).
Piglets fed SDP, PDP and SDP-PDP had a higher BW, ADG and G:F than the soybean control on day 14. In addition, the combination of SDP and PDP upregulated ten genes in jejunum samples involved in the barrier function of intestinal cells, the immune response, mucosal nutrient transport, digestion and metabolization of oxidation products.
In conclusion, this study found that substituting soybean products with animal protein sources like PDP or SDP increases growth performance of weanling piglets at the end of the pre-starter period. In addition, it indicates that PDP can substitute or complement SDP because it showed the same effect on the growth performance of the piglets during this period. Furthermore, changes in the gene expression of the jejunum produced by the SDP-PDP diet suggest that this treatment might be able to produce beneficial effects in the epithelial structure of the gut, in the defensive capacity of the intestine against threats and the digestion of proteins.
González-Solé F, Criado-Mesas L, Villodre C, García WC, Farré M, Borda E, Pérez-Cano FJ, Folch JM, Solà-Oriol D, Pérez JF. Porcine Digestible Peptides (PDP) in Weanling Diets Regulates the Expression of Genes Involved in Gut Barrier Function, Immune Response and Nutrient Transport in Nursery Pigs. Animals. 2020; 10(12): 2368. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10122368