Diet-Related Adaptation of the Small Intestine at Weaning in Pigs Is Functional Rather Than Structural

Incidence of diarrhea at weaning in commercial pigs is an important problem, and diet is thought to be a predisposing factor. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of switching from milk-based to cereal-based diets on the morphology and function of the small intestine of piglets using a model of delayed weaning to isolate the influence of the diet from that of environmental and social factors.