ABSTRACT
The first milk, colostrum, is an important source of nutrients and an exclusive source of immunoglobulins (Ig), essential for the growth and protection from infection of newborn pigs. Colostrum intake has also been shown to affect the vitality and behaviour of neonatal pigs. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of feeding colostrum and plasma immunoglobulin on brain development in neonatal pigs. Positive correlations were found between growth, levels of total protein and IgG in blood plasma and hippocampus development in sow-reared piglets during the first 3 postnatal days. In piglets fed an elemental diet (ED) for 24h, a reduced body weight, a lower plasma protein level and a decreased level of astrocyte specific protein in the hippocampus was observed, as compared to those that were sow-reared. The latter was coincident with a reduced microgliogenesis and an essentially diminished number of neurons in the CA1 area of the hippocampus after 72h. Supplementation of the ED with purified plasma Ig, improved the gliogenesis and supported the trophic and immune status of the hippocampus. The data obtained indicate that the development of the hippocampus structure is improved by colostrum or an Ig-supplemented elemental diet in order to stimulate brain protein synthesis and its development during the early postnatal period.
