Effects of Vitamin Forms and Levels on Vitamin Bioavailability and Growth Performance in Piglets

Abstract

The objective of this study was to quantify the relative bioavailability of microencapsulated vitamins A and E in nursery pigs and compare the effects of vitamin forms and vitamin levels on the plasma vitamin content and growth performance of weaned piglets. In experiment (Exp.) 1, 12 nursery pigs (fitted with jugular catheters) were supplied at 0 h with non-microencapsulated or microencapsulated vitamin A and E. Blood samples were collected at 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 16, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 36, 48, and 72 h after feeding to compare the bioavailability of oral vitamins A and E. In Exp. 2, a total of 216 crossbred weaned piglets were assigned to six treatments. This experiment was a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement, with two factors for vitamin forms (non-microencapsulated and microencapsulated) and three factors for vitamin levels (the National Research Council level of vitamins, 75% commercial recommendations of vitamins (CRV) level, and a 100% CVR level). In Exp. 1, the relative bioavailability of microencapsulated vitamin E was significantly greater than that of non-microencapsulated vitamin E. In Exp. 2, the pigs fed diets containing 75% or 100% CRV levels of vitamins increased their growth performance and plasma vitamin concentrations compared to the control group. In conclusion, microencapsulation can improve the bioavailability of vitamins, and supplementation with high levels of vitamins was able to improve the growth performance of the piglets.