Effect of dietary fat and cholesterol level on tissue cholesterol concentrations of growing pigs selected for high or low serum cholesterol.

Thirty-six female pigs selected for three generations for high or low serum cholesterol were chosen to evaluate the effects of a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet and a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet provided on an ad libitum basis for 92 d beginning at 12 wk of age on the cholesterol content and percentage of fat in muscle and organ tissues. The pigs were four-way crosses (Chester White x Landrace x Large White x Yorkshire). Samples of cerebrum, heart, ileum, kidney, liver, longissimus muscle, semitendinosus muscle, and subcutaneous fat were collected from each animal for determination of cholesterol concentration. The liver was the only tissue that had a significant difference in cholesterol content and in fat percentage between the genetic groups (high serum cholesterol and low serum cholesterol) and between the two diets (high-fat, high-cholesterol diet and low-fat, low-cholesterol diet). There were no interactions between diet and genetic background on cholesterol accretion or on the percentage of fat in the tissues.