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A total of 17 multiparous sows were included in a controlled cross-over-study in order to investigate the influence of a natural source of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) (alpine butter) on the milk fatty acid composition of lactating sows and on the growth performance of their progeny. The usual fat source of a standard lactation diet was replaced by either CLA-rich alpine butter (BU) or margarine (MA, control diet). At the beginning of the adaptation period, which started 5 to 10 d before farrowing and lasted until day 5 after farrowing, the sows were blocked by bodyweight (seven blocks with two sows and one block with three sows per body-weight block) and randomly assigned within each block to two treatment groups. Before farrowing, all sows were offered 2 kg of the MA diet and within the 5 d after farrowing the daily allowance of the MA diet was gradually increased from 2 to 5.2 kg per sow. From day 5 until day 15 and from day 16 until day 25, nine sows were offered 5.2 kg of BU and MA diet. Eight sows in treatment group B (MA-BU) were offered the MA and BU diet from day 5 to day 15 and from day 16 to day 25, respectively. In the adaptation and experimental phase the sows were individually fed twice per day and had free access to water. In order to have the same daily feed intake, litter size was adjusted to eight piglets on the day of farrowing.
Compared with the margarine diet, feeding the alpine butter-supplemented diet increased (P<0.001) the CLA concentration in the milk fat (742.3 vs. 107.7 mg/100 g fat). Eleven of fourteen CLA isomers were higher (P<0.004) in milk fat after feeding the alpine butter-supplemented diet but the transfer was not proportional. The milk fat concentration of the sow milk and the level of SFA, MUFA and PUFA were not (P>0.05) affected. Piglet growth performance during lactation was similar for both dietary treatments.
It is concluded that adding alpine butter to the diet does not provoke a milk fat depression and does not alter the composition of total SFA, MUFA and PUFA in sow milk but increases its conjugated linoleic acid concentration.
A Schmid, M Collomb, G Bee, U Bütikofer, D Wechsler, P Eberhard and R Sieber. 2008. British Journal of Nutrition. 100, 54-60
