The role of dietary fat during early pregnancy on milk composition and yield in sows has not yet been fully established. To enable the importance of type and timing of oil supplementation to be evaluated this study aimed to determine the consequences of altering the fatty acid profile of sow diets during either the first or second half of gestation; oils of different fatty acid composition were chosen as energy supplements to provide diets with different fatty acid profiles. Consideration was given to sow condition, milk yield and milk composition. It was found that the fatty acid profile of sow diets, during either the first or second half of gestation, appears to be of more importance
than the energy content of the diet per se, also the type and timing of dietary supplementation had a large influence on the backfat deposition during pregnancy and fat mobilization during the lactation period. The provision of extra energy during G1, and to a lesser extent in G2, resulted in increased fat deposition during the period of supplementation. This study shows the important role of maternal adipose tissue as a store of biologically important
fatty acids, for mobilization during late gestation and lactation when they will be of most benefit to their offspring.
The study also shows that oil supplements during G1 also had a profound effect on immunoglobulin secretion during lactation.

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