Chemical Composition of Bodies and Organs of Pig Fetuses in the Last Forty Days of Intrauterine Life

Abstract

Padalikova Drahomira, Jdkova Dagmar: Chemical Composition of Bodies and Organs of Pig Fetuses in the Last Forty Days of Intrauterine Life. Acta Vet. Brno, 53, 1984: 19-30. Proteins are the main organic component of pig fetal bodies. Their relative amount increases from 5.03 ± 0.16 % in fetuses 74 days old to 9.13 ± 0.25 % in 114-day old fetuses. The steepest increase of both relative and actual amounts of proteins in fetal body is seen until the 94th day of gestation. On the 114th day of gestation the significant positive relation between fetal mass and protein per cent in their bodies can be demonstrated. The relative fat amount in fetal bodies increases between 74th and 84th day from 0.72 ± 0.03 to 1.11 ± 0.02 % and between 94th and 104th gestation day from 1.13 ± 0.02 to 1.53 ± 0.03 %. In the last 10 days prior to birth the relative fat content in fetal bodies statistically significantly decreases from 1.53 ± 0.03 to 1.37 ± 0.05 %. The relative ash content in fetal bodies rises during the whole followed period and in ll4-day old fetuses reaches the value of 3.95 ± ± 0.03 %. The amount of all the three followed components of fetal bodies protein, fat and ash was found to be quantitatively sevenfold higher at the 114th day of gestation when compared with the 74th day of their age. The body mass of fetuses increases four times during the last 40 days of intrauterine life. Further the development of mass and chemical composition of the heart, lungs and liver, and changes in the mass of the kidney were followed. The most pronounced changes occurred in the chemical composition of the liver the relative protein content of which decreased from 12.11 ± 0.20 to 7.55 ± 0.20 % in the last twenty days prior to birth. Pig fetuses, body mass, organ mass, protein, fat, ash and dry matter content. Although data concerning the chemical composition of fetal bodies are encountered in literature (Svecin et al. 1967, Pomeroy 1960, Curtis et al. 1969) the detailed information concetning especially the last 40 days of intrauterine life is very scarce. Svecin et al. (1967) reports e. g. on chemical composition of fetal bodies at 88th and 113th gestation day, Pomeroy (1960) reports on fetuses 51, 74, 95 and 114 days old stating that heavier fetuses of the same age group have higher relative content of protein. Curtis at al. (1969) when prolonging the gestation period of sows found that the biochemical composition of 114-day old fetuses was not changed by the prolonged gestation by 1 week. In our previous work (Padalikova et al. 1972; J dkova et al. 1971) we followed the changes of weight and hydration of pig fetuses that occur during the last 40 days of intrauterine life. We have decided to expand this knowledge by an analysis of changes in chemical composition of pig fetal bodies and organs.