Journal of Animal Science, Vol 69, Issue 7 2904-2917, Copyright © 1991 by American Society of Animal Science

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Assessment of the influence of dietary vitamin E on sows and offspring in three parities: reproductive performance, tissue tocopherol, and effects on progeny

D. C. Mahan
Anim. Sci. Dept., Ohio State University, Columbus 43210-1095.

Sixty crossbred (Yorkshire-Hampshire X Duroc) gilts were fed one of four corn-soybean meal diets fortified with .3 ppm Se and 0, 16, 33, or 66 IU of DL-alpha-tocopheryl acetate/kg. The study was conducted over a three-parity period to evaluate sow reproductive performance and the vitamin E tissue status of both sows and progeny at various time periods postcoitum and(or) postpartum. The basal diet averaged 8.4 mg of alpha-tocopherol/kg and .38 ppm of Se. Although litter size at birth was lowest (P less than .15) when sows were fed the basal diet, a higher incidence of agalactia when sows were fed the lower dietary vitamin E levels resulted in an increased (P less than .05) litter size at 7 d postpartum as dietary vitamin E increased. Sow serum alpha-tocopherol increased (P less than .01) at each measurement period as dietary vitamin E level increased. Colostrum and milk alpha-tocopherol concentrations increased (P less than .01) as dietary vitamin E level increased, and colostrum values were three to five times higher than at later milks. Colostrum alpha-tocopherol declined by parity from sows fed less than or equal to 16 IU/kg but was similar at each parity for sows fed greater than or equal to 33 IU/kg, resulting in a dietary vitamin E x parity interaction (P less than .01). The Se content of sow milk declined with parity but was not affected by dietary vitamin E level. Sow liver tocopherol at weaning (28 d postpartum) increased (P less than .01) as dietary vitamin E increased and increased with parity (P less than .05). Pig serum and liver alpha-tocopherol concentrations were elevated at birth and 7 and 28 d of age as sow dietary level of vitamin E increased. Upon weaning, pigs were fed a torula yeast-dextrose diet that contained 3.0 mg of alpha-tocopherol/kg and .32 ppm Se for a 28-d postweaning period. Liver and serum alpha-tocopherol concentrations declined during the postweaning period. Evidence of the vitamin E deficiency occurred at 28 d postweaning in the progeny from sows fed the basal diet or 16 IU of vitamin E; the incidence was more prevalent in the pigs from Parities II and III. These results suggest that a supplemental level of 16 IU of vitamin E/kg of diet was inadequate for the reproducing sow; higher levels are justified, particularly when females are retained in the herd for several parities.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				E. E. Wilburn, D. C. Mahan, D. A. Hill, T. E. Shipp, and H. Yang An evaluation of natural (RRR-{alpha}-tocopheryl acetate) and synthetic (all-rac-{alpha}-tocopheryl acetate) vitamin E fortification in the diet or drinking water of weanling pigs J Anim Sci, March 1, 2008; 86(3): 584 - 591. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Lauridsen and S. K. Jensen Influence of supplementation of all-rac-{alpha}-tocopheryl acetate preweaning and vitamin C postweaning on {alpha}-tocopherol and immune responses of piglets J Anim Sci, June 1, 2005; 83(6): 1274 - 1286. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. C. Mahan and J. C. Peters Long-term effects of dietary organic and inorganic selenium sources and levels on reproducing sows and their progeny J Anim Sci, May 1, 2004; 82(5): 1343 - 1358. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. M. Webel, D. C. Mahan, R. W. Johnson, and D. H. Baker Pretreatment of Young Pigs with Vitamin E Attenuates the Elevation in Plasma Interleukin-6 and Cortisol Caused by a Challenge Dose of Lipopolysaccharide J. Nutr., October 1, 1998; 128(10): 1657 - 1660. [Abstract] [Full Text]