An Investigation on Sow-Milk Fat With Special Reference to the Fatty-Acid Composition

The fatty-acid composition and the lipid content of sow’s milk were studied in 8 sows. Samples were taken shortly after delivery and then at intervals during the period of lactation. Altogether 22 different acids were identified. C 16:0, C 16:1, C 18:1, and C 18:2 dominate quantitatively, constituting about 90 per cent. In the diets used, the first days’ milk was poorer in C 14:0, C 16:0, and C 16:1 and richer in C 18:0 and C 18:1 than was later milk. Sow’s milk is distinct from cow’s milk, especially by its lack of, or only trace appearance of, short-chain fatty acids. The long-chain unsaturated acids are relatively abundant. There is a considerable variation in the values from time to time. The cause of this is probably of inherent metabolic nature.     

Volume of Distribution of Tritiated Water as a Measure of Total Body Water in Suckling Pigs

The total body water (TBW) was determined, using a method with tritiated water. One litter of 11 piglets was used for the experiment comprising repeated deterimnations during the first 6 weeks of life. The mean TBW defined as the 1½ hours distribution volume of tritium after intraperitoneal injection was found to decrease gradually from 80.1 % of the body-weight at 1 day of age to 72.7 % at 19 days of age and then remained fairly constant. A simple distillation technique for recovering the water from plasma was used. Small variations between pigs of the same age were found. The variations in individual pigs from time to time and the results of duplicate determinations seem reasonable.