Effect of monosodium L glutamate on diet palatability and piglet performance during the suckling and weaning periods

In 5 successive experiments diets containing monosodium L-glutamate (MSG) 5 g/kg diet were given to 230 litters during the sucking period and 120 pens of 7 piglets during the post-weaning period. During the sucking period there was a significant 0.36 proportional increase of creep feed intake from 18 days old with MSG. However, weaning weight was not increased with MSG. Where MSG was added with an associated commercial flavour, no flavour enhancing effect of MSG was detectable. Few health problems were encountered at weaning and the number of scouring piglets was not related to one particular diet. During the first 13 days after weaning MSG increased daily feed intake by proportionately 0.1 (P<0.01) as well as growth rate by proportionately 0.07 (P<0.01). MSG was more effective with piglets of low weaning weight and thus contradicted the classical relationship between post-weaning performance and weaning weight. Finally, where weaning occurred at lower ambient temperature, no imporvement of post-weaning performance was observed with MSG.