Dietary Conjugated Linoleic Acid Positively Affects Immunologic Variables in Lactating Sows and Piglets

Abstract

We studied the effects of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) on metabolic and immunologic variables in lactating sows and piglets. Gestating sows (n = 16) were assigned to 1 of 2 weight- and parity-matched groups supplemented with 0% (C) or 0.5% (T) of a CLA preparation containing 50% CLA isomers. Supplementation started in late pregnancy and continued throughout lactation. At weaning, 80 piglets, half from each group of sows, were assigned to 0% CLA (C) or 0.5% CLA (T). Thus, there were four groups of 20 piglets: C-C, C-T, T-T, and T-C. Body weight and the number of piglets per litter at birth and weaning, and the chemical composition of colostrum did not differ among the groups. CLA affected the fatty acid composition of colostrum fat; palmitoleic and gamma-linolenic acid were significantly lower compared with controls, whereas eicosenoic and eicosatrienoic acids were significantly higher. Feeding CLA increased (P < 0.05) colostrum IgG in sows. Sows fed CLA had higher (P < 0.05) serum leptin, IgG, and lysozyme. Nursing piglets from CLA-fed sows had significantly higher (P < 0.01) serum lysozyme and IgG. Consumption of CLA did not affect postweaning growth. Postweaning piglets fed CLA (T-T, C-T) had a higher IgG titer at 25 d (P < 0.05) and 35 d (P < 0.01) after weaning. Serum lysozyme was also higher at 25 d (P < 0.05) in CLA-fed piglets (T-T, C-T). At 35 d, serum alpha-1 acylglicoprotein was lower (P < 0.05) in piglets fed CLA. Dietary CLA had a positive effect on immunologic variables in lactating sows and piglets.

Impact of dietary betaine and conjugated linoleic acid on insulin sensitivity, protein and fat metabolism of obese pigs

“…In our experiment, pigs fed betaine and (or) CLA had reduced serum growth hormone, with no change in IGF-1 levels, which agree with the findings of Bontempo et al (2004) in lactating sows fed CLA. By contrast, Li et al (1999) found that CLA increases serum IGF-1 in rats, suggesting the hypothesis that CLA modulates body mass through mechanisms involving the IGF system.…”

“…Work with 3T3-L1 adipose cells supported the evidence that CLA enhanced lipolysis (Park et al, 1997). However, contrary to Ostrowska et al (2002), we have found no serum NEFA change in pigs fed CLA diets and similar results were found in lactating sows (Bontempo et al, 2004). In this study, betaine had no effect in serum NEFA and similar results have previously been reported (Matthews et al, 1998;Øverland et al, 1999).…”

“…Our results would imply that the differences in fat deposition in pigs fed betaine 1 CLA (Ferná ndez-Fígares et al, 2008) could not be explained by dissimilar availability of glucose for lipogenesis. Similarly, CLA did not alter plasma glucose and insulin in growing (Ramsay et al, 2001) and finishing pigs (Ostrowska et al, 2002) or lactating sows (Bontempo et al, 2004). Nevertheless, serum glucose concentration was decreased in finishing pigs (Huang et al, 2006) fed betaine-supplemented diets, the effect being ascribed to increased insulin levels.…”

“…In our experiment, there was no effect of any treatment on serum leptin concentration. Dietary CLA reduced serum leptin levels in rats, mice and humans (Delany et al, 1999;Medina et al, 2000;Yamasaki et al, 2000b), whereas it was increased in lactating sows (Bontempo et al, 2004).…”

Effects of dietary L-carnitine and fat type on the performance, milk composition and immunoglobulin in sows, and immunological variables of sows and piglets during late gestation and lactation

“…Rooke and Bland (2004) found that sow's diets supplemented with FO could increase IgG content in colostrum (P < 0.05). Bontempo et al (2004) and Rossi et al (2004) found that the addition of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) increased IgG levels in colostrum (P < 0.05). However, the reports regarding the effects of l-carnitine and FO on IgG and IgA levels are not consistent.…”