An analysis has been carried out on the contents and reciprocal proportions of three principal iodothyronines (T4, T3 and rT3) in the thyroids of fed and fasted piglets of 8-10 wk and in adult pigs. The mean T4 concentration averaged 62.0 +/- nmol/100 mg wet tissue (in adults: 18.5 +/- 4.3 nmol/100 mg tissue); T3, 9.5 +/- 0.9 nmol/100 mg tissue (in adults: 1.58 +/- 0.2 nmol/100 mg tissue); rT3, 3.0 +/- 0.3 nmol/100 mg tissue. The reciprocal ratios of the hormones in the piglets' thyroids were: for T3:T4, 0.150 (in adults, 0.114) and for rT3:T4, 0.050 (in adults, 0.023). Mean T4:T3:rT3 ratio in piglets and adult pigs was 20.5:3.1:1 and 66.1:5.6:1, respectively. The results from all examined iodothyronines, show the higher absolute concentration in piglets' than in adult pigs' thyroid tissue, while the reciprocal proportions of the hormones reveal smaller T4 thyroid contents (comparing with T3 and rT3) in piglets than in adults. No changes of absolute thyroidal contents or reciprocal ratios of the iodothyronines were observed in fed and fasted piglets. In a comparison, the pig thyroid contains more triiodothyronine and a higher ratio T3:T4 than that in some other species.