Abstract :
This study aimed to determine the consequences of altering the fatty acid profile of sow diets during mid-to-late gestation; oils of
different fatty acid composition were chosen as energy supplements to provide diets with different fatty acid profiles. Forty-eight
multiparous sows were used to evaluate the effects of fat supplementation from day 60 of gestation until parturition. Sows were
allocated to either 3 kg/day of commercial sow pellets (control; C) or an experimental diet consisting of 3 kg/day of commercial sow
pellets supplemented with 10% extra energy in the form of excess pellets (E), palm oil (P), olive oil (O), sunflower oil (S) or fish oil
(F). From days 0 to 60 of gestation, all sows were given 3 kg/day of sow pellets as for the C group. The E diet resulted in the
heaviest piglets at birth whereas the offspring of O and S sows were the lightest at birth. The offspring of S sows remained lighter
throughout the pre-weaning period, and were also the leanest by 14 days of age. In contrast, pigs born to S sows possessed more
fat by the time they reached commercial end point (E140 days of age). In conclusion, altering the fatty acid profile of the sow
diet during the second half of gestation has long-term consequences for the development of their offspring.
