Digestion of fat does not differ in growing pigs fed diets containing fishoil, rapeseed oil or coconut oil

We studied the digestion of fat and fatty acids in diets containing oils wi th different fatty acid composition. Four barrows (initial weight 35 kg) we re fitted with a simple T-cannula at the terminal ileum, Three wheat starch and fish meal-based diets were formulated to contain either 150 g fish oil , rapeseed oil or coconut oil/kg. A basal diet, which did not contain oil, was also prepared. The diets were fed according to a 4 x 4 Latin square des ign. Each experimental period comprised 5 d adaptation to the diets, 3 d fe cal collection and 2 d digesta collection. The apparent ileal and fecal dig estibilities of fat were relatively high (88 - 93%), The ileal digestibilit ies of total, saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids did not differ amon g the diets. However, the digestibilities of polyunsaturated fatty acids (P UFA) in the fish and rapeseed oil diets were higher (P < 0.05) than in the coconut oil diet. The ileal digestibilities of 18:1, 18:2 and 18.3 in the r apeseed oil diet ranged from 94 to 97%, The ileal digestion of the unsatura ted long-chain fatty acids 20:5(n-3) and 22:6(n-3) in the fish oil diet was nearly complete (97 - 98%). Apparent fecal digestibilities of saturated fa tty acids (76 - 89%) were lower than apparent ileal digestibilities (89 94% ). The digestibilities of fat and fatty acids were relatively high when pig s were fed diets containing fish oil, rapeseed oil or coconut oil. There we re few differences in the digestibilities of saturated, monounsaturated and PUFA in the fish oil, rapeseed oil or coconut oil diets.