CONCENTRATIONS OF VITAMIN-C IN MILK OF SOWS AND IN PLASMA OF PIGLETS

Colostrum or milk samples from 10 sows and blood plasma samples from 6 8 piglets were taken between 0 and 28 d after farrowing and analyzed f or ascorbic acid and dehydroascorbic acid by high-performance liquid c hromatography with electro-chemical detector. Ascorbic acid content of colostrum (265.0 mu m mL(-1)) was more than twice that of subsequentl y produced milk (100.0 mu g mL(-1)) at 7 d of age. Ascorbic acid conte nt of blood plasma of piglets at birth after uptake of colostrum was 1 3.1 mu g mL(-1), which slowly declined during the first 28 d of age to 3.2 mu g mL(-1). The dehydroascorbic acid concentration in the plasma of piglets ranged from 3.0 mu g mL(-1) to 3.9 mu g mL(-1) from 7 d to 28 d of age. There was a significant positive correlation between pig let plasma ascorbic acid and maternal milk ascorbic acid concentration .