US EPA

1457143 

Journal Article 

Effects of adding liquid dl-methionine hydroxy analogue-free acid to drinking water on growth performance and small intestinal morphology of nursery pigs 

Kaewtapee, C; Krutthai, N; Poosuwan, K; Poeikhampha, T; Koonawootrittriron, S; Bunchasak, C 

2010 

1 

Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition
ISSN: 0931-2439
EISSN: 1439-0396 

94 

3 

395-404 

English 

19663980 

10.1111/j.1439-0396.2009.00920.x 

WOS:000277381000014 

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of adding liquid DL-methionine hydroxy analogue free acid (LMA) to drinking water on growth performance, small intestinal morphology and volatile fatty acids in the caecum of nursery pigs. Twenty-four crossbred pigs (Large White x Landrace, BW approximately 18 kg) were divided into three groups with four replications of two piglets each. The piglets received drinking water without (control), with 0.05 or 0.10% LMA. The results indicated that adding LMA at 0.10% to drinking water significantly increased their weight gain, average daily feed intake (p < 0.05) and tended to improve the feed conversion ratio. Adding LMA to drinking water significantly increased their water intake and significantly reduced the pH of drinking water (p < 0.01), thus total plate count (p < 0.01) and Escherichia coli in drinking water was reduced (p < 0.05), while the total number of bacteria in the caecum was not significantly affected. Liquid DL-methionine hydroxy analogue free acid supplementation in drinking water tended to decrease pH in the stomach, duodenum, jejunum, colon and rectum. Furthermore, adding LMA at 0.10% significantly increased villous height in the duodenum, jejunum and ileum (p < 0.05), and the villous height:crypt depth ratio in the jejunum and ileum (p < 0.01) was higher, whereas acetic acid concentration in the caecum was significantly lower than in the control group. It could be concluded that adding LMA to drinking water improved growth performance of the nursery pigs because of high water quality and high nutrient utilization caused by an improvement of small intestinal morphology (not from nutritional effect of methionine source). 

liquid dl-methionine hydroxy analogue free acid; drinking water; growth performance; nursery pig