Phospholipid profiling, cholesterol, and tocopherols: Comparison of sow milk fats from two lactation stages and five breeds

Effects of five different breeds (Landrace × Large White, Landrace , Large White, Duroc and Pietrain) and two lactation stages (colostrum and milk) on phospholipids and their fatty acids compositions , cholesterol, and tocopherols in sow milks (n = 100) were investigated in the present study. Six classes of phospholipids were identified using 31 P NMR spectroscopy, with the total phospholipid levels ranging from 56.84 to 151.02 μmol/100 mL. Sphingomyelin (SM) was the most abundant phospholipids (33.57%–48.00%) in both colostrum and milk. Colostrum contained higher percentages of SM, phosphatidylserine (PS), phosphatidylinositol (PI), and ethanolamine plasmalogen (EPLAS) than those in milk, while milk contained higher percentages of phosphatidylcholine (PC), and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). C16:0 and C18:0, accounting for more than 80% of the saturated fatty acids of phospholipids in both colostrum and milk, decreased throughout the lactation. The average cholesterol concentration in colostrum was 430.60 mg/100 g fat, which was significantly lower than that in milk (646.44 mg/100 g fat). α-Tocopherol levels in Landrace × Large White breed were 38.35 and 15.91 mg/100 g fat in colostrum and milk, respectively, which were significantly higher than other breeds; while no significant variations in β-, γ-, and δ-tocopherols were noted among different breeds. The results demonstrated that lactation stages and breeds were mainly responsible for the significant differences of phospholipids, cholesterol, and tocopherols, providing a theoretical guidance for the manufacture of commercial formula of piglets.