Effect of lecithin on the apparent ileal and overall digestibility of crude fat and fatty acids in pigs

Four barrows of approximately 40 kg initial body weight, fitted with post-valvular T-cecum cannulas, were used to study the effect of lecithin as an external emulsifier on apparent ileal and overall digestibility of crude fat, fatty acids, and other dietary nutrients (DM, N, GE, crude fiber [CF], P, Ca, and Mg), as well as the utilization of N, GE, Ca, P, and Mg. Two levels of lecithin (0 and .24%) and two levels of rendered fat (0 and 6%) in cereal-soybean meal-based diets were investigated according to a 4 x 4 Latin square design. No significant interactions were found between lecithin and rendered fat for apparent digestibility of crude fat as estimated at the end of the small intestine and the total digestive tract. Lecithin decreased the apparent ileal digestibility of C16:0 fatty acid (P [is less than] .1) and the apparent overall digestibility of C14:0 fatty acid (P [is less than] .05) and C18:2 fatty acid (P [is less than] .1). The apparent ileal and overall digestibility of crude fat (P [is less than] .001) and total fatty acids (P [is less than] .05) increased with the inclusion of rendered fat in diets. Furthermore, rendered fat increased the apparent ileal and overall digestibility of C14:0 (P [is less than] .01), C16:1 (ileal, P [is less than] .001; overall, P [is less than] .1), and C18:1 (P [is less than] .05) fatty acids and the apparent overall digestibility of C18:0 (P [is less than] .001) fatty acid. Lecithin had no impact on the apparent digestibility and retention (percentage of intake) of GE, N, total P, Ca, and Mg. Rendered fat increased the apparent digestibility of DM (ileal, P [is less than] .1; overall, P [is less than] .05), N (P [is less than] .05), and GE (P [is less than] .05) at the terminal ileum and total tract. Also, the apparent ileal digestibility of Ca (P [is less than] . 1) and the retention (percentage of intake) of N, ME, and [ME.sub.n] were improved (P [is less than] .05) by the addition of rendered fat. Dietary lecithin had no influence on the apparent ileal or overall digestibility of rendered fat as estimated in the small intestine and the whole digestive tract of pigs.