Objective  To investigate the effects of dietary proline supplementation on plasma biochemical parameters and amino acid in suckling Huanjiang mini-pigs.

Method  Fifteen female Huanjiang mini-pigs after 15 days of service were randomly divided into three groups, and reared in five pens (replicates) with one pig per pen. The pigs were fed with experimental diet supplementing 0.77% L-alanine (isonitrogenous control group), 1.00% L-proline (proline group), or 0.77% L-alanine+0.0167% 2-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO group). One piglet per litter was randomly selected on the 7th and 14th days respectively after weighing. The plasma biochemical parameters and free amino acid contents were analyzed.

Result  The concentrations of plasma ammonia in proline and DFMO groups at the age of 7 days were significantly lower than that in the isonitrogenous control group (P<0.05). At the age of 14 days, the proline group had significantly higher piglet body weight compared with the isonitrogenous control and DFMO groups (P<0.05), significantly higher plasma ammonia concentration and choline esterase (CHE) activity compared with the DFMO group (P<0.05), significantly lower creatine kinase (CK) activity compared with the DFMO group (P<0.05), and significantly higher concentrations of glucose and proline compared with the isonitrogenous control group (P<0.05).Arginine concentrations in proline and DFMO groups were significantly higher than that in the isonitrogenous control group (P<0.05). Asparagine concentrations in isonitrogenous control and proline groups were significantly lower than that in the DFMO group (P<0.05). Ornithine concentration in DFMO group was significantly higher than that in the isonitrogenous control group (P<0.05).

Conclusion  Dietary proline supplementation could improve the growth and development of suckling piglets by affecting the metabolism profiles glucose and amino acids.