RESEARCH IN PIG BREEDING, 10, 2016 (2)

Kanka T., Rolinec M., Imrich I., Bučko O., Kasarda R., Tančin V.

MORPHOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF VILLI IN SMALL INTESTINE OF NEONATAL PIGS

Optimal development of the digestive and immune system of neonatal pigs is connected with intake of colostrum. The immune system is not developed and the small intestine, in terms of transfer of immunoglobulins, is most active in the first 12 hours of piglet’s life. In this work, we focused on morphometric express of the size of villi in the piglet’s small intestine (duodenum, jejunum and ileum). The measurements were carried out on histological slides of the small intestine dyed by the hematoxylin-eosin method (clear dyeing) in the intervals before the colostrum intake (0 hrs.) and 3, 6 and 12 hours after the colostrum intake. The animals of experimental group were from holdings affected by PRRS syndrome (confirmed by SVFA), the control group: piglets from breeding free from PRRS infection. The evaluation of samples was performed under the microscope Olympus Provis AX program Image Pro Plus. We have discovered that size of villi was larger in the control group. It follows that the growth and development of mucosal layer of the small intestine in the experimental group was not uniform in comparison to control group. It could be that PRRS virus affected the growth of villi as well as the absorption of immunoglobulins from the small intestine into the blood of pigs.

Key words: morphometric, small intestine, neonatal piglets, intestinal villi, PRRS