Liver Necrosis and Altered Fat Composition in Vitamin E-Deficient Swine

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
A fatal liver necrosis developed in growing pigs fed a diet deficient in vitamin E, and containing 6% protein as furnished by soybean meal, and with 2% cod-liver oil. Of the 6 pigs fed this diet from weaning, three died suddenly with massive acute hemorrhagic liver necrosis. Two of the survivors, when slaughtered, showed post-necrotic cirrhosis of the liver, but lower than normal liver fat. Muscle fat of vitamin E-deficient hogs had lesser concentrations of linoleic, arachidonic and pentaenoic acids than did that of added-vitamin E controls; liver fat showed similar changes except in arachidonic acid concentrations. Five of the 6 animals in control lots on the same basal diet but supplemented with a-tocopheryl acetate survived to slaughter and failed to show appreciable liver damage.