Abstract
Thirty-two crossbred gilts (8 wk and 15.9 kg) of similar breeding were used in a randomized complete block design to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation of CLA on body composition of young, growing pigs. Pigs were blocked by BW and randomly assigned and evenly distributed among 3 treatment groups or a control group for an 84-d feeding trial. Diets consisted of a commercially available concentrate (Nutrena, Minneapolis, MN) with CLA supplemented at the rate of 0.33, 0.66, or 1.0% of the diet. The CLA source (BASF Corp., Florham Park, NJ) contained 55% CLA (mixture of cis-9, trans-11; trans-10, cis-12; and trans-9, trans-11 isomers). The control group received the same pelleted concentrate in addition to soybean oil supplemented at 0.33% of the total diet. Oil was administered as a drench to the control group and all treatment groups at 0600 h daily to ensure consumption. Body weight was obtained every 7 d with the intake of concentrate and supplement was adjusted accordingly. Fat thickness (cm) was measured at 14-d intervals via ultrasonography at the 10th rib, and LM area (LMA) was collected via ultrasonography at d 0, 42, and 84. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS. Overall effects were analyzed using repeated measures, and data from individual days were analyzed using fat thickness from d 0 as a covariate. Overall, there was no difference between treatments in BW (P = 0.74), 10th-rib fat thickness (P = 0.36), or LMA (P = 0.70). There was a significant treatment × time interaction for fat thickness. Tenth-rib fat thickness was lower at d 70 (P < 0.03) and 84 (P < 0.04) for pigs consuming 0.66 and 1.0% CLA compared with the control group. These data indicate that CLA supplemented at 0.66 or 1.0% of the diet fed to young, growing pigs has no effect on BW or LMA but did result in a decrease in back fat thickness after d 70 of treatment. It is likely that this trend would continue if the feeding period had been extended; however, further studies are needed to fully elucidate dietary CLA supplementation to alter body composition when fed to young, growing pigs.
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