Effects of maternal and offspring treatment with two dietary sources of vitamin D on the mineral homeostasis, bone metabolism and locomotion of offspring fed protein- and phosphorus-reduced diets

ABSTRACT

The present study aims to compare the effects of maternal and offspring treatment with 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25-OHD₃) and vitamin D₃ on vitamin D status, mineral homoeostasis, bone metabolism and locomotion in the offspring. Either vitamin D₃ (50 μg/kg diet) or 25-OHD₃ (50 μg/kg diet) was supplemented to the gestation and lactation diets of 49 multiparous sows and/or to the diets of their growing offspring. Treatment of the sows did not affect plasma concentrations of 25-OHD₃ of the offspring. Pigs fed 25-OHD₃ had higher plasma concentrations of 25-OHD₃ than pigs that received vitamin D₃ during rearing and fattening. However, neither plasma concentrations of calcium, phosphate and bone markers during the observation period nor bone ash and bone mineral density at slaughter were clearly affected by the treatment. Maternal and offspring treatment with 25-OHD₃ instead of vitamin D₃ resulted in a slight reduction in the prevalence of leg swelling. In addition, more pigs walked with even steps and normal stride length. Further studies are needed to test whether the slight effects observed in the present experiment are reproducible and of relevance for animal health and welfare. In that case, the underlying mechanisms should be revealed in order to take advantage of potentially beneficial influences especially under certain feeding regimes.

KEYWORDS:

• Vitamin D
• 25-hydroxycholecalciferol
• bone metabolism
• locomotion

Acknowledgement

The authors would like to thank Maximilian Reuschel (Clinic for Small Mammals, Reptiles and Birds, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover) and Christian Seiler (Institute for General Radiology and Medical Physics, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover) for their technical assist in the analysis of bone density by microcomputed tomography. We would also like to thank Kathrin Hansen (Institute for Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover) for her help with the blood analyses and Jana Tietke and Beatrice Ladanyi (Institute of Animal Nutrition, Nutrition Diseases and Dietetics, University of Leipzig) for their assist in the bone analyses.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by DSM Nutritional Products.