Estimating fermentative amino acid catabolism in the small intestine of growing pigs1

Abstract

Fermentative catabolism (FAAC) of dietary and endogenous amino acids (AA) in the small intestine contributes to loss of AA available for protein synthesis and body maintenance functions in pigs. A continuous isotope infusion study was performed to determine whole body urea flux, urea recycling and FAAC in the small intestine of ileal-cannulated growing pigs fed a control diet (CON, 18.6% CP; n=6), a high fibre diet with 12% added pectin (HF, 17.7% CP; n=4) or a low-protein diet (LP, 13.4% CP; n=6). 15N-ammonium chloride and 13C-urea were infused intragastrically and intravenously, respectively, for 4 days. Recovery of ammonia at the distal ileum was increased by feeding additional fibre when compared with the CON (P0.05) compared with CON. The two-pool model developed in the present study allows for estimation of FAAC but still has limitations. Quantifying FAAC in the small intestine of pigs, as well as other non-ruminants and humans, offers a number of challenges but warrants further investigation.

Keywords

• amino acids
• fermentative catabolism
• fibre
• growing pigs