| Infants who are fed formula following birth do not receive arachidonic (AA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are supplied in breast milk, and may be essential for the growing infant. The research objective was to compare the effects formula supplementation with DHA and various levels of dietary AA, with sow milk on general fatty acid status, growth, and bone metabolism and mineralization of the newborn piglet. Forty 3-day-old male piglets were randomized within litters into one of five treatment groups (n = 8 per group) for fifteen days, and fed fatty acid supplemented formula + AA (0.3, 0.45, 0.60 and 0.75% wt/wt) and DHA (0.10% wt/wt). A sow-fed group of 8 piglets provided a comparison. Following 15 days of treatment, plasma, liver and adipose tissue were analyzed for fatty acids using gas chromatography. Biochemical markers of bone: plasma osteocalcin, urinary calcium and cross-linked N-telopeptide of type I collagen (NTx), and ex vivo release of PGE2 in bone organ culture were measured. Bone mineral content, density and area of whole body (WB), femur and total lumber spine 1–4 were measured using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). (Abstract shortened by UMI.). |
