FETAL PIG DEVELOPMENT IN SOWS FED DIETS CONTAINING DIFFERENT FATS

Abstract

Fetuses (57, 85, 110 d gestation) from sows fed experimental diets from day 57 of gestation were examined. Sows ate either a diet with no added fat (2.6% total lipid), or a diet containing added soybean oil (4.7%) or tallow (5.0%). The diet of the sow was shown to have no effect on fetal organ (heart, liver, lung, kidney) size or total fat content. Fetal carcass proximate analysis was likewise unaffected by changes in the maternal diet. Key words: Pig, fetus, diet, development