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ß-Carotene vs. Retinyl Acetate for the Baby Pig and the Effect upon Ergocalciferol Requirement¹

Department of Animal Husbandry and Biochemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan

Twenty-four pigs were used in a study to compare the utilization of dietary fermentation ß-carotene with retinyl acetate by the baby pig and to determine whether ß-carotene has a rachitogenic effect which may increase the vitamin D requirement. Purified isolated-soy diets containing 2.5, 6.25 or 12.5 µg of ergocalciferol/kg and containing either 8 mg/kg of fermentation ß-carotene or 688 µg/kg of retinyl acetate were used in a 5-week feeding period. Total liver vitamin A storage of pigs receiving preformed vitamin A was about twice that of pigs receiving ß-carotene (2.4 mg vs. 1.2 mg). Neither bone composition nor strength were greatly affected by source of vitamin A activity. In this experiment ß-carotene did not increase the need for ergocalciferol above that normally required by baby pigs fed a soy protein diet containing retinyl acetate.

² Department of Animal Husbandry.

³ Department of Biochemistry.

Manuscript received 4 March 1967.