Effect of Energy Source Prior to Parturition and during Lactation on Tissue Lipid, Liver Glycogen and Plasma Levels of some Metabolites in the Newborn Pig2

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Abstract
Two experiments were conducted to determine the effect of energy source (carbohydrate or fat), fed to sows prior to parturition and during lactation, on energy storage and some metabolite levels in the neonatal pig which may exert an influence on rate of survival. The first experiment, which involved 12 gravid gilts, consisted of three diets and involved a comparison between energy level and source. The control diet, providing 5,750 kcal of metabolizable energy (ME)/gilt daily, was supplemented with either stabilized tallow or cornstarch to provide 9,300 kcal of ME/gilt daily. Treatments were initiated on the 100th day of pregnancy and continued until parturition. Blood samples were obtained, from the dams on day 110. Those fed tallow had a higher (P<.05) free fatty acid concentration when compared to dams receiving cornstarch. At birth, piglets in the tallow group had approximately 2.0% carcass lipid and 188 mg of glycogen/g of wet liver, which was higher but not significantly different from piglets in the cornstarch group (1.9%, 175 mg/g, respectively). While glycogen was highly concentrated in the liver of piglets at birth, it was rapidly depleted postnatally. At 6 hr, 49% of the glycogen remained, and at 24 hr only 14% remained. A second experiment was conducted to study the effect of additional energy in the form of tallow administered to sows from the 109th day of pregnancy through lactation on the concentration of glucose, FFA and β-hydroxybutyric acid in the plasma of piglets whose birth weights ranged from 680 to 1,090 grams. Piglets from dams fed tallow had a higher (P<.10) glucose concentration (54.1 vs 37.2 mg/100 ml) at birth than piglets in the control group. Piglets in the tallow group also had a higher (P<.05) glucose concentration 6 hr after birth (89.4 vs 69.2) and at 24 hr (86.4 vs 67.2) compared to piglets in the control group. Copyright © 1978. American Society of Animal Science . Copyright 1978 by American Society of Animal Science.