Sunlight exposure increases Vitamin D sufficiency in growing pigs fed a diet formulated to exceed requirements

Traditional confinement practices limits exposure to sunlight and Vitamin D synthesis, and vitamin insufficiency occurs even with dietary supplementation. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of limited sun exposure on serum concentration of vitamin D and the expression of vitamin D synthesizing enzymes in the liver and kidney of pigs on a vitamin D sufficient diet. White-pigmented grower pigs (29.7 ± 2.3 kg) fed 15% CP diet ad libitum providing>1200 IU vitamin D3/kg of feed were exposed to sunlight for 1 h each day at solar noon for 14 d at the spring equinox (March pigs, n=10) or summer solstice (June pigs, n=5) and again prior to slaughter in June (March pigs) and September (June pigs).

Source: Domestic Animal Endocrinology - November 10, 2016 Category: Endocrinology Authors: B.M. Alexander, B.C. Ingold, J.L. Young, S.R. Fensterseifer, P.J. Wechsler, K.J. Austin, D.E. Larson-Meyer Source Type: research