Triacylglycerol fingerprint of sow milks during different lactation stages and from different breeds

Sow milk fats not only provide energy but also essential nutrients for piglets. Thus, feeding strategies must be aligned with fat composition, especially triacylglycerols (TAGs) and their isomers. The triacylglycerol (TAG) profiles of sow milk fats from five typical breeds (Landrace × Large White, Landrace, Large White, Duroc, Pietrain) and two lactation stages (colostrum and milk) were systematically studied. A total of 45 major TAG species were identified using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The most abundant TAG was oleic acid-palmitic acid-linoleic acid (O-P-L) (13.92% and 12.03% in colostrum and milk, respectively), which was not significantly different in colostrum among all breeds. TAG composition of sow milk was affected mainly by the lactation stage rather than sow breed. Furthermore, TAG compositions of sow milk fats were similar to those of human milk fats, but significant differences were observed between commercial piglet formulas and sow milk. Therefore, the results will contribute to the optimization of piglet formulas to improve the growth and wellness of piglets, as well as potentially providing a basis for food usage as a new source of nutrients for human infants in future.