The vitamin B6 status of pigs given a diet containing linseed meal

1. Pigs consuming a diet containing 300 g linseed meal/kg and a pyridoxine supplement showed greater growth, nitrogen retention, blood packed cell volume and haemoglobin than those receiving only the basal diet. 2. Tryptophan-load tests on unsupplemented pigs revealed an increased excretion of kynurenine, Nalpha-acetylkynurenine and xanthurenic acid compared to those receiving additional pyridoxine. 3. The results suggest that the unsupplemented pigs were marginally deficient in vitamin B6. 4. When the same diet was fed to rats there was no evidence of vitamin B6 deficiency.