Studies on the Absorption of Labelled and Dietary α-Tocopherol in Mink as Influenced by Some Dietary Factors

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Abstract
Experiments (2) were conducted, each with 24 seven-nine mo. old male mink to study the absorption of tocopherols using the d,l,.alpha.-tocopheryl 1''2''-3H-acetate at 25 and 40 .mu.Ci in experiments 1 and 2, respectively. In the 1st experiment, 3 diets were used, 2 composed of dry feed ingredients only, with and without vitamin E addition, and the other mainly of fresh feed ingredients. In experiment 2, 8 diets were used varying in amount of fat (high and low fat diets) and in quantities of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. The absorption rate varied from 26-35 in the 1st experiment, and the lowest absorption of labeled tocopheryl acetate was observed in the vitamin E supplemented group. Mink on the fresh and dry feed ingredient diet had lower GOT (glutamate oxalacetate), GTP [glutamate pyruvate transaminase] and LDH [lactate dehydrogenase], and during the 3 mo. preceding the experiment, no mink died on this diet with symptoms of vitamin E deficiency. In the 2nd experiment using somewhat older mink there was a higher absorption of the isotope than in the 1st experiment. Significantly lower adsorption of the tocopheryl acetate was observed in mink on the high fat diets, and within these groups, the lowest absorption was observed in mink on the high unsaturated fatty acid diets. Compared to other species, the absorption percentages of tocopheryl acetate were low and may indicate a relatively higher requirement and vitamin E in mink.