CHANGES IN THE LIPID COMPOSITION OF THE INTERNAL ORGANS OF FETAL PIGS FROM SOWS FED DIFFERENT DIETARY FATS

Abstract

Heart, liver, lungs and kidneys were taken from fetal pigs at 57, 85, and 110 d of gestation. Sows had been fed either a no-fat-added control diet or one with either added tallow (high in saturated fatty acids) or added soybean oil (high in unsaturated fatty acids). Maternal diet had no significant effect on organ weight, organ total lipid, or the percent composition of nine lipid classes in the total lipid extracts. Significant changes in composition were found as the fetuses developed, and differences in composition were also evident among tissues. The fatty acid composition of the triglyceride, phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine fractions of the four internal organs also showed developmental changes. Key words: Fetus, lipid, pig, organs, development