It was hypothesised that the glycogen stores in newborn piglets will be depleted faster in light piglets than in heavy
piglets and that there might be differences regarding composition or relative organ sizes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of level and type of fat in diets for pregnant sows on the typical newborn piglet body composition, proportional organ size and muscle glycogen, and to compare with the extremes regarding body weight in the same litter at one day of age. It was found that the incorporation of fat into the diet during gestation does
not affect piglet body measurements; the present data provide additional information on the depletion of energy
reserves. The decline in muscle glycogen during the immediate postnatal period emphasizes the importance to the
neonatal piglet of an early external energy source. It would appear that sow dietary fat has relatively little effect on
progeny although the fatty acid composition in piglets should be determined.

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