Effect of Weaning at 21 Days of Age on the Content of Bile Acids in Chyme of Cecum

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Weaning increases the level of bile acids (BAs) in the cecum of piglets, and there is a certain interaction between group and weaning age on the level of BAs. However, studies on the effect of early weaning on intestinal BAs in piglets are not clear. Therefore, this experiment was conducted to investigate the changes of different BAs in the cecum chyme of weaned piglets, to reveal the relationship between weaning and changes of BAs in the intestine, and to provide a theoretical basis for early weaning and supplementary feeding of piglets. The results showed that weaning increased the content of BAs in the cecum of piglets, and there was an interaction between group and weaning age on the content of BAs. ABSTRACT: This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of weaning at 21 days of age on cecal chyme bile acids (BAs) in piglets. According to a 2 × 3 factorial design, the main factors were lactation and weaning, and the other factor was 22, 24, and 28 days of age, respectively. Piglets were randomly divided into two groups of eighteen piglets each and six piglets were selected for slaughter at 22, 24, and 28 days of age, respectively, to determine the content of different types of Bas in the intestinal lumen of the cecum. Results: (1) There was a significant interaction between weaning and age on intestinal primary Bas hyocholic acid (HCA) and chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) (p < 0.05), and weaning significantly increased the content of primary BAs in piglets’ intestines, which showed a trend of decreasing and then increasing with the increase in piglets’ age. (2) There was a significant interaction between weaning and age on intestinal secondary BAs deoxycholic acid (DCA), lithocholic acid (LCA), and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) (p < 0.05). DCA and LCA in piglets’ intestines tended to decrease with increasing age, while UDCA showed a trend of decreasing and then increasing with increasing piglets’ age; weaning significantly increased the content of secondary BAs in piglets’ intestines. (3) There was a significant interaction between weaning and age on intestinal glycine chenodeoxycholic acid (GCDCA), taurochenodeoxycholic acid (TCDCA), and taurolithocholic acid (TLCA), but not on taurohyocholic acid (THCA), taurohyodeoxycholic acid (THDCA), and taurineursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) (p > 0.05). Weaning significantly increased the contents of GCDCA, TCDCA, TLCA, THDCA, and TUDCA in the intestinal tract (p < 0.05), while THCA content was not significant. In conclusion, weaning can increase the BAs content in the cecum of piglets, and there is an interaction between group and weaning age on BAs content.