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A simple approach was set up to assess the importance of maternal perinatal transfer of vitamins and trace elements from sows to piglets. Prenatal transfer was estimated from the ratio (R-u) between pre-colostral serum concentrations of micronutrients in newborn piglets and the corresponding pre-farrowing values in sows. Post-natal transfer was estimated from another ratio (R-c) between post- vs pre-colostral serum concentrations of micronutrients in piglets. Data from literature were used for vitamins A, D, E, C, B9 and B12 whereas the others were derived from a trial using 20 sows.
For zinc and vitamins B6 and B8, prenatal transfer was active (R-u > 1, P < 0.01) as well as for vitamins C and B12. For vitamin B2, iron, copper and selenium, prenatal transfer was limited (R-u < 1, P < 0.01) as for vitamins A, E, D and B9. Prenatal transfer was passive for vitamin B3 (R-u = 1, P > 0.37). After birth, the early post-natal transfer through colostrum was active for most micronutrients except for vitamins B6 and B8 (R-c < 1, P < 0.01).
Globally, the perinatal transfer (combination of R-u and R-c) was favourable to the newborn piglets for most micronutrients except for vitamins A and D as well as iron, copper and selenium. Sow milk being a poor source of these micronutrients, during lactation, piglets may possibly experience nutritional deficits other than iron, well known for decades. New neonatal strategies of micronutrient supplementation to piglets may be required nowadays.
J. Jacques Matte, Isabelle Audet, Christiane L. Girard. Le transfert périnatal des vitamines et minéraux mineurs de la truie à ses porcelets : au-delà d’une seule insuffisance en fer ? 46èmes Journées de la Recherche Porcine.