Dietary canola oil alters hematological indices and blood lipids in neonatal piglets fed formula

This study was undertaken to determine the effects of canola oil on platele t characteristics, blood lipids and growth in exclusively formula-fed pigle ts. Piglets were fed from birth to 10 or 18 d with formula containing 51% e nergy from fat, with 100% fat as canola or soybean oil; 26% soybean, 59% hi gh oleic acid sunflower and 12% flax oil (canola mimic); or 26% canola (can ola blend) or soybean (soybean blend) with high oleic acid sunflower, palm and coconut oil. The canola mimic provided similar carbon chain 16 and 18 f atty acids without the sterol or 20:1 and erucic acid (22:1) of canola oil. The oil blends provided formula resembling infant formulas but with higher 16:0 and lower unsaturated fatty acid levels than in canola or soybean oil . Body weight, weight gain and heart and liver weight were not different af ter 10 or 18 d feeding canola when compared to soybean oil alone or blended oil formulas. Piglets fed formulas with 100% canola oil had lower platelet counts than piglets fed formula soybean oil or the canola oil mimic. Plate let counts were lower, and platelet distribution width and volume were high er, when formulas with 100% canola or soybean rather than the blended oil f ormulas were fed. The results show that formula fat composition influences the developing hematological system and that canola oil suppresses the norm al developmental increase in platelet count in piglets by a mechanism appar ently unrelated to the formula 16:0, 18:1, 18:2(n-6) or 18:3(n-3), or plasm a phospholipid 20:4(n-6) or 20:5(n-3).