Further Studies of Pantothenic Acid Deficiency in Weanling Pigs

Abstract

Pantothenic acid deficiency was produced experimentally by feeding a low-protein ration containing corn and soybean oil meal supplemented with thiamine, riboflavin, nicotinic acid and pyridoxine. When, however, the unsupplemented corn-soybean ration was fed, no symptoms of locomotor incoordination were produced in the ten-week experimental period. The growth rates of the pigs in the unsupplemented lot, however, were very poor. The reasons for these differences are discussed. The basal ration used to produce pantothenic acid deficiency contained by analysis, 4.31 mg. of this vitamin per pound. The addition of calcium pantothenate to the corn-soybean basal ration resulted in significantly greater gains than made by the pigs fed the unsupplemented basal ration. Two pigs in the pantothenic acid deficient lot were completely paralyzed in the hind quarters. Blood levels of pantothenic acid in pigs showing symptoms of deficiency were approximately two fifths of those in the normal control group. Copyright © . .