Vitamin A Content of the Livers of Suckling Pigs.

Abstract

Baby pigs (35) from 6 litters were sacrificed at weekly intervals. The first group of 6 were sacrificed before they were 24 hours old. Their only feed was the milk of their dams. Summaries of body weights, % fat in liver and liver vitamin A are presented. At one day of age the concentration of vitamin A was 15.1 mg/g of liver. By the 7th day this low reserve of vitamin A was doubled per unit weight and increased 4 times for the whole liver. After reaching a peak at 7 days, this value decreased gradually and uniformly from about 31 to 19 mg/g of liver at 35 days after parturition, however, the total vitamin A in the whole liver was increasing with the age.