Exocrine pancreatic secretions in pigs as influenced by the source of carbohydrate in the diet.

Four barrows, initial wt. 70 kg, fitted with permanent pancreatic cannulas according to the "Pouch Method", were used to investigate the effect of dietary inclusion of pectin on pancreatic secretions. The pigs were fed two corn starch-based diets, containing 16% crude protein from soybean meal, with 0 or 7.5% pectin. The pigs were fed twice daily, at 08:30 and 20:30, 900 g each meal. Pancreatic juice was collected continuously at 1-h intervals for a total of 24 h. The inclusion of pectin did not affect (p > .05) the flow of pancreatic juice and the total secretion of nitrogen, lipase, trypsin and chymotrypsin. However, there was a significant (p < .05) decrease in the secretion of alpha-amylase, which was actually a direct result of the replacement of starch by pectin.