EFFECT OF INJECTED VITAMIN-A AND LEVEL OF DIETARY VITAMIN-E ON ALPHA-TOCOPHEROL STATUS IN GESTATING SWINE

A 2 x 2 trial was conducted to determine the effects of injected vitam in A and dietary level of vitamin E on blood serum and tissue concentr ations of alpha-tocopherol during early gestation of gilts. Thirty-two crossbred gilts were fed a corn soybean meal basal diet supplemented with DL-alpha tocopheryl acetate to provide either 25 or 500 IU of vit amin E/kg of diet. Gilts were fed daily 1.9 kg/gilt beginning 7 days b efore breeding until day 25 of gestation. Sixteen gilts were injected (im) with 350 000 IU of retinol palmitate 7 days before breeding, at t he time of breeding (d0), and 7 days after breeding. Blood samples wer e collected on day -7, 0, 7, and 24, and all gilts were slaughtered on day 25 of gestation. Supplemental vitamin E at 500 IU/kg of diet incr eased alpha-tocopherol concentrations (P < 0.01) in blood serum in all tissues examined, including reproductive and embryonic, except fat. V itamin A injections had no effect (P > 0.10) on blood serum alpha-toco pherol concentrations except on day 7 when a small increase (P < 0.06) was noted. Vitamin A injections had no effect (P > 0.10) on tissue al pha-tocopherol concentrations. Increasing dietary level of vitamin E i ncreased blood serum and tissue alpha-tocopherol concentrations, and v itamin A injections had little or no effect on these concentrations du ring the early gestation of gilts.