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Effect of Sow Vitamin D Status at Parturition on the Vitamin D Status of Neonatal Piglets

National Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, P.O. Box 70, Ames, IA 50010

The plasma concentrations of calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D, and vitamin D metabolites were determined in cholecalciferol-treated sows and untreated sows at parturition and their piglets (at birth and at 10 days of age) to determine the relationship between sow vitamin D status and neonatal piglet vitamin D status. At birth, there was a high degree of correlation between sow and piglet plasma concentrations of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (r = 0.944), 24,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol (r = 0.895), and 25,26-dihydroxycholecalciferol (r = 0.737). Neonatal piglet plasma 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D was low (42.0 ± 10.2 pg/ml) and was not correlated with maternal plasma 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (r = 0.022). Neonatal plasma calcium and phosphorus were significantly correlated (P < 0.05) with maternal plasma 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (r = 0.515 and 0.581, respectively). Parenteral cholecalciferol treatment of sows before parturition proved an effective means of supplementing young piglets with cholecalciferol (via the sow's milk) and its more polar metabolites via placental transport. However, it had no significant effect on either the plasma mineral or 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D status of the sow or young piglet.

KEY WORDS: • vitamin D • neonate • maternal • vitamin D metabolites • calcium • phosphorus

¹ Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Manuscript received 10 June 1983.