The development of the digestive system of the young animal I. Tissue weights, dry matter of tissues, total acidity and chloride content of stomach contents in the young pig

Abstract

1. A total of forty pigs (four litters) were slaughtered at weekly intervals from birth to 5 weeks of age. 2. Results are given for the changes in weight of different parts of the digestive organs and their contents with increasing age, and for the content of NaCl and of total acidity in the stomach contents. 3. Stomach pH was on average more alkaline than pH 3.4 at all ages up to 5 weeks; the average pH of the duodenum was 6.5 and of the small intestine 6.4. 4. Total NaCl and total acidity in stomach contents remained roughly constant from birth up to 5 weeks of age. No free HCl was detected in any of the stomach contents of the pigs. 5. The consistency of the stomach contents varied with the age of the pig; the hard milk clot which was characteristic of the contents at 2–3 weeks of age appeared softer and more broken in older pigs.