Fetal pig vitamin E status

Abstract

18 Gilts (2 per diet group) were fed a diet containing either no fat, tallow (5%) or fish oil (5%) and one of 22, 44 or 88 IU vitamin E/kg diet from day 57 of gestation. Blood plasma taken from the gilts at days 57, 78 and 90 of gestation increased in vitamin E content as gestation progressed, but there was no effect of dietary oil or vitamin E level in the diet. Maternal blood contained 7–13 times as much vitamin E as fetal blood sampled on day 90. Fetal blood vitamin E was not affected by the maternal dietary vitamin E content. Fetal body weights and absolute tissue weights were heavier in fetuses of mothers eating fish oil diets, but tissue vitamin E levels in these fetuses were lower than in fetuses from mothers eating diets without fish oil.