The Relation between Certain Characteristics of Fats and Oils and Their Apparent Digestibility by Young Pigs, Young Guinea Pigs and Pups

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Abstract
A highly significant inverse relationship was found to exist between the mean molecular weight (length of chain) of the fatty acids of various fats and oils and their apparent digestibility by pigs and guinea pigs of suckling age. Approximately 30% of the total variability in the apparent digestibility of the fats and oils by these species was attributable to fatty acid chain length. The relationship between the degree of saturation of the fats and oils and their apparent digestibility by the young pigs and guinea pigs was of minor significance. Neither mean molecular weight nor degree of saturation had any significant effect on the apparent digestibility of the fats or oils by the early-weaned pups. A species difference with respect to ability to utilize long chain fatty acids was indicated. Apparently the dog and the human are better able to digest fats or oils containing a large proportion of long chain fatty acids than are the pig, the guinea pig and the rat.