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Changes in the Perinatal Pig¹

University of Hawaii, Honolulu

Abstract

Thirty-two fetuses and 32 young pigs were used in the study to determine changes in physical and chemical composition of the pig from 98 days gestation to 6 days after birth. Fetuses were obtained from eight sows by hysterectomy. These were taken from two sows each at 98, 102, 106 and 110 days after breeding. Eight other litters were used to supply one pig each at 3, 48, 96 and 144 hr. after birth. Each age group was composed of two males and two females. Weights were taken of the intact animal, carcass, liver, empty stomach, tongue, kidneys, heart, spleen, brain and lungs. Chemical analyses were run on each carcass and on composites of the livers from each age group for dry, matter, crude protein, ether extract, ash, calcium and phosphorous. The NFE was then calculated for these samples. Fatty acid analyses were run on the fat from each pig and on the composite liver samples.

After birth, pigs gained weight at a faster rate than during the late fetal period. This rate of increase was faster for the intact pig than for the carcass due to a higher rate of gain in the stomach, liver and kidneys after birth. Weights of the stomach, kidneys and spleen appeared to have reached a plateau before birth. Both carcasses and livers were found to contain high levels of NFE until after birth. The NFE levels in the carcass and liver were 19.6 and 21.1% of the dry matter, respectively, at 98 days gestation. These levels increased to 21.9 and 38.7%, respectively, at birth, then declined rapidly. Ether extract of the carcass dry matter was very low until birth, then increased rapidly. The protein level of the carcass dry matter decreased up to birth, then increased quite rapidly.

The concentration of C18⁼² increased from 6.8% to 13.9% in the carcass fat and from 2% to 18% in the liver fat between 3 hr. and 48 hr. after birth. During this same period, there was a decrease in the percentage of C14, C16⁼¹ and C18 in the carcass and in the percentage of C14 and C16⁼¹ in the liver fat. The carcass ether extract level increased from 5.4% to 11.5% of the carcass dry matter during this same period. The level of C16 was higher and the level of C18 lower in the fat of pigs in this study than the levels that have been reported in the literature for fat of older hogs.

¹ Journal Series No. 1017 of the Hawaii Agricultural Experiment Station.

² Department of Veterinary Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg.