Effect of folic acid supplements on homocysteine concentration in plasma of gestating sows.
An experiment comprising 19 German Landrace sows was established to evaluate the effect of folic acid supplements (10 mg/kg concentrate) on homocysteine and folic acid concentration in plasma and serum, respectively, of highly pregnant sows as compared to an unsupplemented control (basal diet contained 0.62 mg folic acid/kg concentrate). Blood samples were taken between day 75 and 110 of gestation for homocysteine analysis and on day 100 of gestation for folic acid determination. Due to the folic acid supplements serum folic acid concentration increased significantly (104 nmol/l in controls and 140 nmol/l in supplemented sows). In contrast, homocysteine concentration in the plasma was not significantly influenced by folic acid supplements (16.6 mumol/l in controls and 15.2 mumol/l in supplemented sows). Further investigations seem to be necessary to clarify the physiology of homocysteine metabolism in swine.
Barkow
B
B
Institute of Animal Nutrition, Federal Agricultural Research Centre (FAL), Bundesallee 50, D-38116 Braunschweig, Germany.
Pietrzik
K
K
Flachowsky
G
G
D000818:Animals; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood*; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000097:blood*; D011897:Random Allocation; D013552:Swine / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*
D006710:Homocysteine; D005492:Folic Acid