Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
secretions during that time. Estimates of vitamin A concentration in milk from day 5
through day 28 range from 0.14 to 0.73 µg/ml. Reports of vitamin A concentrations in
a lactation extended beyond day 28 have presented widely variable results (Csapo
et al.
,
1996; Heidebrecth
et al.
, 1951). Content of vitamin A in colostrum and milk is affected
by the vitamin level and source in the diet. Feeding sows orange corn vs. white corn
during gestation and lactation increases milk retinol concentration (Heying
et al.
2013).
Supplementation of late gestation and lactation diets with fish oil, but not with animal
fat or various other oils, increases vitamin A concentration in sow milk (Lauridsen and
Danielsen, 2004). On the other hand, others have shown that feeding animal fat during
late gestation and lactation increases vitamin A concentrations in colostrum and milk
compared with a basal diet (Coffey
et al.
, 1982). Braude
et al.
(1946, 1947) reported a
greater vitamin A concentration in sow milk during summer than in winter, most likely
attributable to summer housing of sows on pasture after the first week of lactation, in
contrast to winter indoor housing from about 2 weeks prepartum through lactation. Oral
dosing of a lactating sow with retinol results in elevated milk retinol that peaks at 7.5 to
10 h post-dosing (Dever
et al.
, 2011).
Vitamin E concentrations reported in colostrum during the initial day of parturition
range from 3.2 to 23.3 µg/ml, with an average of 10 µg/ml (Table 9.7). By day 2, vitamin
E concentrations are 3.7 to 7.7 µg/ml (Csapo
et al.
, 1996; Lauridsen and Jensen, 2005;
Lauridsen
et al.
, 2002). Sow milk from day 16 to day 60 of lactation has a vitamin E
content averaging 2.6 µg/ml (Table 9.7). Most studies report a significant effect of
stage of lactation on vitamin E concentrations in mammary secretions (Lauridsen and
Danielsen, 2004; Lauridsen and Jensen, 2005; Lauridsen
et al.
, 2002; Mahan, 1991; Mahan
et al.
, 2000; Malm
et al.
, 1976; Pinelli-Saavedra
et al.
, 2008). Dietary supplementation of
gestation and/or lactation diets with vitamin E increases colostrum and milk vitamin E
content (Lauridsen and Jensen, 2005; Mahan, 1991; Mahan
et al.
, 2000; Malm
et al.
, 1976;
Pinelli-Saavedra
et al.
, 2008). Supplementation of late gestation and lactation diets with
coconut oil increases vitamin E concentration in sow milk relative to supplementation
with animal fat or various other oils (Lauridsen and Danielsen, 2004). Mahan
et al.
(2000)
found a quadratic effect of parity on vitamin E, with highest concentrations in parities 2
and 3. Limited information is available on vitamin D (Table 9.7) and vitamin K in sow
milk. Concentrations of vitamin D are highest in colostrum at parturition, at about 0.015
µg/ml, and then are approximately 0.006 µg/ml in later lactation (Bowland
et al.
, 1951;
Csapo
et al.
, 1996). Vitamin K concentrations range from 0.089 µg/ml to 0.101 µg/ml, but
do not seem to be affected by stage of lactation (Csapo
et al.
, 1996).
Vitamin C concentration is highest in colostrum vs. milk, with values ranging between
64 and 306 µg/ml, and averaging 190 µg/ml (Table 9.7). Concentrations of vitamin C in
milk average 94 µg/ml, and range from 45 to 130 µg/ml (Table 9.7). Information on the B
vitamins in sow colostrum and milk is also limited. Thiamine (B1) in colostrum has been
reported as ranging from 0.5 to 1.45 µg/ml and averages 0.83 µg/ml, while milk thiamine
averages 0.74 µg/ml, with reports ranging from 0.7 to 0.8 µg/ml (Table 9.6). Thiamine in
milk is affected by season, with lower concentrations in summer when sows were housed
outdoors on pasture through most of lactation (Braude
et al.
, 1947). In contrast to most
other vitamins, thiamine concentrations do not appear to be greater in colostrum than in
