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Effects of gastric loading on the sucking response and voluntary milk intake in neonatal piglets
Insights
Preloading piglets
Area of Science:
- Animal Physiology
- Gastrointestinal Physiology
Background:
- Understanding gastric distension signals is crucial for infant feeding.
- Piglets serve as a model for studying early feeding behaviors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of gastric loading on piglet feeding behavior.
- To explore the role of gastric distension in regulating milk intake.
Main Methods:
- Piglets were fed 100 ml of milk after a 6-hour fast.
- Sucking responses and voluntary milk intake were monitored.
- The effects of milk, saline, and glucose preload were compared.
Main Results:
- Preloaded piglets showed reduced weight gain and increased resting.
- Gastric loading significantly decreased initial milk intake but not oral activity.
- Saline preload suppressed intake for a shorter duration than milk or glucose.
Conclusions:
- Gastric distension receptors influence feeding behavior in piglets.
- Oral activity is distinct from voluntary milk intake regulation.
- The composition of gastric preload affects intake suppression duration.
Abstract:
The effects of loading the stomach of piglets with 100 ml of milk after 6 hr of fasting and immediately before allowing them access to the dam were studied. Piglets gained less weight and rested more often on preloaded days. This suggests that gastric receptors exist and signal distension of the stomach. Monitoring sucking responses to a rubber teat revealed that although preloading the stomach substantially reduced voluntary milk intake during the initial 10-min. period of the test, the vigorous oral activity continued largely unabated. Isotonic saline suppressed the voluntary milk intake of the piglets for a shorter period than milk or isotonic glucose solution.
