Abstract
The objective of this study was to investigate effects of dietary level of CLA and the duration of feeding CLA- containing diets on reproductive performance in sows and piglet growth rate. Tallow (3% in gestation diet and 5% in lactation diet, respectively) was incorporated as a fat source in control diet, and each 50% (dietary CLA level of 0.75% in gestation diet, and 1.50% in lactation diet, respectively) or 100% (dietary CLA level of 1.50% in gestation diet, and 2.50% in lactation diet, respectively) of tallow was replaced by a commercial CLA preparation containing 50% CLA isomers. Diets containing CLA were fed either from d 15 pre- mating to weaning or d 74 post-mating to weaning. The level of dietary CLA and feeding duration did not affect litter size. High dietary level of CLA, however, decreased piglet weights at birth (p<0.01) and tended to decrease backfat thickness of sows at weaning. Long- term feeding of CLA-containing diets decreased piglet weights at weaning (p<0.05) and backfat thickness of sows at weaning (p<0.05). CLA supplemented in sow diet was transferred to fetus and piglets during pregnancy and nursing period, respectively. CLA contents of femoral muscle of piglets were 2.08 to 2.57 mg per g of fat at birth, and 2.36 to 4.47 mg at 10 days of age in CLA groups, while CLA was not detected in the control group. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of CLA tended to lower backfat thickness of sow and piglets' weight at birth or weaning, but did not affect total litter size. Dietary CLA was transferred efficiently during prenatal and postnatal periods of time through the placenta and milk, respectively. (Asian-Aust. J. Anim. Sci. 2005. Vol 18, No. 2 : 249-254)
Highlights
Conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) are geometric and positional isomers of the 18-carbon fatty acid with two cis double bonds, linoleic acid (C18:2; cis9, cis12)
Pigs fed diets supplemented with CLA had greater gain:feed efficiency and leaner carcasses than pigs not fed CLA (Dugan et al, 1997; Eggert et al, 1999)
Piglets are born with extremely little body fat
Summary
Conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) are geometric and positional isomers of the 18-carbon fatty acid with two cis double bonds, linoleic acid (C18:2; cis, cis). Dietary sources of CLA include milk fat, meat products and vegetable oils. A portion of the increase in efficiency and lean growth could perhaps be attributed to CLA’s modulation of the immune response in swine (Bassaganya-Riera et al, 2001). CLA has been shown to stimulate the immune system (Cook et al, 1993) and protect against chemically induced cancers (Pariza et al, 1983; Ip et al, 1994,1997; Belury et al, 1996) and atherosclerosis (Lee et al, 1994; Nicolosi et al, 1997). Performance during the nursing phase of growth is dependent on both the supply and pattern of nutrients in milk secreted by the lactating sow (Boyd et al, 1995). Piglets are born with extremely little body fat
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