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FA in the body lipids of the pre- and post-weaning piglets (Lauridsen and Jensen, 2007).
Changes in sow milk composition also indicated an increase in unsaturated and n-3 FA
and a decrease in saturated FA (SFA) when sows were fed dietary flaxseed (Baidoo
et al.
,
2003). Gunnarsson
et al.
(2009) observed that supplementing the sow diet with n-3 FA
(from linseed oil) from three weeks before expected farrowing increased the DHA content
and decreased the ratio of n-6/n-3 PUFA in the brain tissue of piglets. Many studies
demonstrated that feeding fish oils to sows during late gestation and lactation increased
long chain n-3 FA levels in the milk and serum of sows and in the tissues of piglets
(Fritsche
et al.
,1993; Perez Rigau
et al.
, 1995; Rooke
et al.
, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001a,b).
Table 16.2 shows the effects of n-3 FA from linseed or flaxseed oil on the FA profile of
sows and piglets. Boudry
et al.
(2009) observed a modified FA composition of the ileum of
piglets when supplementing 3.0% linseed oil to the sow diet during gestation and lactation.
Increases in n-3 FA and in n-3/n-6 ratio in the milk of sows, as well as increases in n-3
FA and n-3/n-6 ratio in tissues of piglets, particularly in the brain, were observed when
sows were fed flaxseed oil in late gestation and lactation (Bazinet
et al.
, 2003; Farmer and
Petit, 2009; De Quelen
et al.
, 2010, 2013). Missotten
et al.
(2009) observed that provision
of linseed oil in the maternal diet from d 45 of gestation increased EPA concentrations
in liver, muscle and adipose tissue of piglets (5.6±0.3 d of age), but did not increase DHA
concentrations. In addition, Farmer
et al.
(2007) reported that dietary supplementation
with flax from d 88 to d 212 of age increased the concentrations of PUFA and decreased
the n-6/n-3 ratio in blood and mammary extraparenchyma of gilts.
16.3.6
Feeding strategy for omega fatty acids
As previously described, it is well known that the FA composition of the sow's diet during
gestation and lactation affects the FA composition of milk and, consequently, the FA
composition of piglet tissues. However, the timing and amount of FA supplementation
during gestation and lactation may differently affect piglet growth and immune status.
Many studies selected the late-gestation and lactation period as the optimal timing for
supplementation (Bazinet
et al.
, 2003; Fritsche
et al.
, 1993; Leonard
et al.
, 2010a,b, 2011),
but the period from early gestation until weaning has also been used by many authors
(Boudry
et al.
, 2009; De Quelen
et al.
, 2010, 2013; Farmer
et al.
, 2010; Mitre
et al.
, 2005;
Rooke
et al.
, 2001c). Other researchers tested the effects of omega FA only during the
gestation period (Laws
et al.
, 2007a,b, 2009a,b). Leonard
et al.
(2010b) found no effect on
colostral IgG concentrations when feeding dietary fish oil from d 109 of gestation. This
lack of effect may be due to too short a duration of supplementation, since other studies
demonstrating positive effects started supplementation earlier in gestation (Mitre
et al.
,
2005). More dose response work is required in order to determine the optimal amount
of n-3 FA acid supplementation.
Different sources of FA (e.g. fish oil, linseed oil) were incorporated into the sow's diet and
their transfer and effects on the progeny were investigated. Supplementing sows with fish
oil (0.3-10%) improved postnatal piglet growth (Mateo
et al.
, 2009; Laws
et al.
, 2007a;
Rooke
et al.
, 2001a; Smits
et al.
, 2011) and the immune status of maternal colostrum or
piglets (Fritsche
et al.
, 1993; Mateo
et al.
, 2009; Rooke and Bland, 2002). Feeding flax (3.5-
10%) to sows in late gestation improved the growth of piglets post-weaning (Baidoo
et
