Under commercial conditions, weaning of piglets is associated with social, environmental and dietary stress. Consequently, small-intestinal barrier and absorptive functions deteriorate within a short time after weaning. Most studies that have assessed small-intestinal permeability in pigs after weaning used either Ussing chambers or orally administered marker probes. Paracellular barrier functi...

In mammals, weaning constitutes an important phase in the progression to adulthood. It comprises the termination of suckling and is characterized by several changes in the behaviour of both mother and offspring. Furthermore, numerous studies in rodents have shown that the time point of weaning shapes the behavioural profile of the young. Most of these studies, however, have focused on 'early we...

Data from 158 predominantly Angus fall-calving beef cows were used in 4 consecutive years to determine the effects of weaning date and cow age class on cow and calf performance. Treatments were arranged in a 2 x 2 factorial with 2 weaning dates and 2 age classes (young cows or=4 yr). Weaning dates were 1) normal weaning in mid-April at 210 d of age (NW) and 2) late wea...

Predicting the timing of weaning in diverse environments is important because breast-feeding significantly contributes to child survival and overall health, especially in developing countries. This study examines associations between weaning and household demographic variables that test predictions derived from parental investment (PI) theory. Data were collected for 101 children (49 males and ...

This study tested the hypothesis that intermittent suckling (IS) with or without an older weaning age would improve post-weaning gastrointestinal tract (GIT) carbohydrate absorptive capacity in pigs while reducing post-weaning stress and aspects of the inflammatory response. Three weaning regimes using primiparous sows were compared: (1) conventional weaning (CW28) ( n = 22), where piglets were...

BACKGROUND The optimal age for the introduction of solid foods (weaning) in infants is poorly researched yet may have implications for both short and longer term health. Many parents do not comply with current guidelines. OBJECTIVE To determine and compare the age at weaning in term appropriate size for gestational age (AGA), small for gestational age (SGA), and preterm infants, and factors a...

Our previous work has demonstrated that weaning at 19 days of age has deleterious effects on mucosal barrier function in piglet intestine that are mediated through peripheral CRF receptor signaling pathways. The objectives of the present study were to assess the impact of piglet age on weaning-associated intestinal dysfunction and to determine the role that mast cells play in weaning-induced br...

The importance of birth-to-weaning average daily gain as a determinant of weight at a final age and yield of marketable pork was investigated. Treatments were imposed to create variation in birthto-weaning ADG independent of birth weight. Newborn pigs were cross-fostered to create litters of four through 14 pigs/litter. Creep feed was offered to pigs from 5 d of age or during last 2 d before we...

Background & objectives: Weaning of children depends on several factors, recognizing each of these factors will be effective in adopting strategies to prevent abrupt cessation of breastfeeding. The aim of this study was to investigate the method of complete weaning of children and the factors affecting it in mothers with children aged 30-36 months in Kerman. Methods: In this cross-sectional st...