EFEITO DAS ALGAS MARINHAS CALCÍTICAS SOBRE A MORFOMETRIA INTESTINAL DE LEITÕES NA FASE DE CRECHE

The objective of this study was to evaluate the calcitic seaweed (CS) in diets and their effects on the intestinal morphometry of piglets in the nursery phase. A total of 128 piglets entire males, crossbreed of commercial lineage were used, with initial body weight of 5.50 ± 0.49 kg and final body weight of 24.39 ± 3.32 kg, distributed in a randomized complete block design with four treatments, eight replicates and four pigs per experimental unit (stall). The treatments were constituted by four experimental rations: feed formulated to meet the requirement of calcium from calcitic limestone (CL); meet the calcium requirement from CL + CS; with a 30% reduction in the requirement of calcium from CS and feed formulated to meet the requirement of calcium from CS. The variables determined in the intestinal histology were villus height (VH), crypt depth (CD) and relation VH:CD. The results showed treatment effect (P<0.05) on VH, CD and VH:CD ratio in the duodenum, jejunum and ileum. It is concluded that CS influences some parameters of the intestinal morphometry of piglets in the nursery phase.