Abstract:
Proc. Aust. Soc. Anim. Prod. Vol. 18 THE EFFECT OF FOLIC ACID SUPP LEMENTATION ON THE HAEMATOLOGICAL STATUS OF GROWING PIGS N.J. GANNON* and Jane LEIBHOLZ* A requirement for folic acid of 0.3 mg/kg of diet has been suggested for the pig by the NRC (1988), but this is based on limited data. In addition to dietary folate, folate is also synthesised in the pigs intestines. Folic acid deficiency may result in poor growth and anaemia (NRC 1988). This experiment was designed to investigate the need for dietary folic acid for the growth of pigs. Twenty male pigs were weaned at three days of age to folic acid from sow's milk, and randomly allocated to diet containing 0.28 mg folic acid/kg, consisted of sunflower oil and a mineral and vitamin premix free of was the chosen protein source as it had the lowest To this diet, 0, 0.25, commonly used pig feedstuffs. folic acid were added. minimize the uptake of five diets. The basal fishmeal, cornstarch, Fishmeal folic acid. folic acid content of 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mg/kg The pigs were individually caged for 99 days and fed ad lib. Blood samples were collected every three weeks by jugular venipuncture and packed cell volume Weight gain, feed conversion ratios (PCV) and haemoglobin levels determined. (FCR) and haematological values of the pigs are shown below. Table 1 The effect of folic acid supplementation on the performance and some blood parameters of pigs Lindemann and Kornegay (1986) found increased weight gains in pigs receiving folic acid supplementation on a corn-soybean meal diet and no differences in FCR. Recent work by Gannon and Leibholz (1989) using a purified diet, found that 0.05 mg folic acid/kg was adequate for growth. The present results support our previous observation. There were also no differences due to diet in the FCR, PCV or haemoglobin values. It may be concluded that the results support the NRC (1988) recommendation that 0.3 mg folic acid/kg may be adequate for weight gain in young pigs. GANNON, N.J. and LEIBHOLZ, J. (1989), In 'Manipulating Pig Production II', p-136 editors J.L. Barnett and D.P. Hennessy. (Australasian Pig Science Association: Victoria). LINDEMANN, M.D. and KORNEGAY, K-T-(1986). J. Anim. Sci. 63 (Suppl. 1):35. NATTONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL (1988). 'Nutrient Requirements of Swine'. 9th ed. (National Academy Press: Washington). * Dept of Animal Husbandry, University of Sydney, Cramden, N.S.W. 2570. 477