The effects of glutamine, poliunsatured fatty acids and cellular wall of yeast (CWY) under the structure and ultra structure of the small gut and the performance of the piglets were studied. Forty five piglets weaned at 21 days were used to test the following treatments: T1 - basal diet; T2 - basal diet + 1% of glutamine; T3 - basal diet + 0,2% of CWY; T4 - basal diet + 5% of fish oil. At seven and 14 post weaning days, five piglets of each treatment were slaughtered. The height, density of villus and depth of small gut crypts were not altered by the inclusion of additives. The effect of age was observed, showing a reduction in the height and density of villus and depth of crypts after weaning. In duodenum and jejunum higher values were observed in the relation villus:crypt, which increased with the post wean age. There was a decrease in the height of microvillus of the duodenum at 7 days and an increase of the width of the microvillus of jejunum at 14 days after wean. The area of the apical surface of the enterocytes was not altered by the studied factors. The studied additives were not efficient to prevent the atrophy of the intestinal mucosa of the jejunum, since they did not interfere on its ultra structure. Piglet performance was not affected by the additives included in the diet.
piglet; crypt; glutamine; microvillus; prebiotic; villus
