A Comparison of Energy Sources for Sows and Subsequent Effect on Piglets

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Abstract
Pregnant sows were fed additional energy as corn starch or corn oil to study the effects on colostrum composition and pig carcass and serum composition at birth and at 72 hr after fasting or normal nursing. A basal diet was fed to the sows at the level of 5 g per kilogram of body weight starting 109 days after mating. Additional energy was provided by either corn starch or corn oil at a level of 24 kcal of metab-olizable energy per kilogram of body weight. Sow's dietary energy sources of corn oil and corn starch did not cause different (P<.05) percentages of pig carcass moisture, ash, protein, glycogen or total lipids at birth. These same traits did not have significant (P<.05) dietary and feeding or fasting interactions. Baby pig carcass fatty acid percentages of palmitoleic, oleic, and linoleic acids were influenced (P<.05) by sow's diet. Corn oil-fed sow's colostrum had more calories and higher percentages (P<.05) of total lipids and linoleic acid, yet lower percentages of myristic, palmitic, palmitoleic, stearic and oleic acids than colostrum from sows in the corn starch group. Linoleic acid was higher in blood of corn oil-fed pigs at 72 hr than in pigs in the corn starch group. Both fasted and fed pigs decreased (P<.05) in percentages of moisture, ash and glycogen. Protein percentage increased in fed and fasted pigs, whereas total lipids increased in fed pigs. Percentage of lipids did not decrease significantly in fasted pigs, which was an indication of low utilization during starvation. Significant dietary and treatment interactions were found for myristic, palmitic, palmitoleic, oleic and linoleic acids in carcasses. The high linoleic acid content in corn oil increased the linoleic acid content in corn oil-fed pigs' carcasses 2.5-fold by 72 hours. Total blood lipids were low at birth, but increased significantly in both fasted and fed treatments at 3 days of age. Utilization of fatty acids for energy during fasting was estimated to be approximately 6 to 7 g in each dietary group. Feeding lipids to sows five days prior to parturition increased energy content and percentage of lipids in colostrum, which could be beneficial for pig survival. Copyright © 1978. American Society of Animal Science . Copyright 1978 by American Society of Animal Science.