EFFECT OF SUPPLEMENTING GILTS DIETS WITH DIFFERENT LEVELS OF VITAMIN-E AND DIFFERENT FATS ON THE HUMORAL AND CELLULAR-IMMUNITY OF GILTS ANDTHEIR PROGENY

The effects of supplementing gestation and lactation diets of gilts wi th different combinations of vitamin E at or above NRC recommended lev els (22, 44, or 88 IU/kg during gestation and 55, 110, and 220 IU/kg d uring lactation) and types of fat (5% added tallow or fish oil or no a dded fat) on humoral and cellular immunity of gilts and their pigs wer e evaluated. With only two exceptions, total IgG, IgM, and IgA in colo strum, milk, and plasma of gilts and in plasma of their pigs did not s how significant ( P > .05) effects, and no interactions between vitami n E and fat supplementation were observed. Cellular immunity was measu red as lymphocyte proliferation response to phytohemagglutinin (PHA), concanavalin A (Con A), purified protein derivative of Mycobacterium a vium, keyhole limpet hemocyanin, Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide ( LPS), and Salmonella typhimurium LPS. Only the nonspecific mitogens, P HA and Con A, induced proliferation of gilt and pig lymphocytes. Fish oil supplementation in the gilts' diets resulted in lower (P < .01) po stpartum PHA response in gilts and slower (P < .05) acquisition of PHA response in newborn pigs compared with groups with added tallow or no added fat. The vitamin E supplementation did not have a significant p ositive effect on either PHA or Con A response of the gilts. However, the rate of acquisition of PHA response and Con A response in newborn pigs was greater (P < .05) for groups supplemented with 110 and 220 IU /kg of vitamin E than for the group supplemented with 55 IU/kg vitamin E.