Susceptibility to cold is usually reported as a major factor involved in the neonatal mortality of piglets (English and Morrison, 1984). Low energy reserves and poor insulation largely contribute to the limited thermoregulatory capacities of the newborn pig (Mersmann, 1974; Curtis, 1974). Glycogen is the predominant source of energy accounting for about 0.6 of the total energy available at birth (Mellor and Cockburn, 1986) but glycogen stores are rapidly depleted after birth. In addition, the total body fat content is very low at birth, ranging from 10 to 20g/kg (Manners and McCrea, 1963). Whereas attempts made to increase the energy stored as fat in the newborn pig by manipulation of the sow diet during late gestation have given variable results (Seerley, 1984), colostrum has proved to be an efficient route for depositing fat and hence for the supply of energy to the piglet during the first postnatal day (Le Dividich, Esnault, Lynch, Hoo-Paris, Castex and Peiniau, 1991). The present study was designed to determine the effects of colostral fat level on the energy and fat metabolism of the newborn piglet when maintained during the 1st day of life at thermal neutrality (34°C) or in the cold (21°C).

A total of 35 newborn Large White pigs averaging 1140 (s.e. 54) g in weight were used. Within each litter five piglets were selected according to their live weight. One was killed in order to determine the initial body composition. The remaining pigs were fitted with umbilical artery catheters and stomach tubes. They were placed in individual cages in closed temperature-controlled chambers maintained at either 34 or 21°C and were fed normal colostrum (60 g fat per kg, NFC) or a colostrum deprived of fat (< 10 g fat per kg, LFC) at the rate of 15 to 18 g per meal per kg birth weight. A total of 24 meals were given at about 65-min intervals.