Effects of Dietary Supplementation with Cysteamine on Performance, Carcass Characteristics, Meat Quality and Antioxidant Status in Finishing Pigs

The current study was to investigate the effects of cysteamine （CS） on carcass characteristics, meat quality, and antioxidant status in finishing pigs. A total of 24 crossbred （PIC variety） finishing pigs （60.05±1.24 kg, 12 gilts and 12 barrows） were assigned randomly to one of the three dietary groups, with four pens/group （one gilt and one barrow per pen）. Pigs were fed with a basal diet containing 0 （control）, 70, or 140 mg/kg CS for 47 days. The results indicated that dietary CS supplementation increased （P〈0.05） the average daily gain and feed intake with optimal responses occurring at 70 mg/kg. Dietary supplementation of CS increased （P〈0.05） the dressing percentage and lean percentage of finishing pigs with optimal responses occurring at 140 mg/kg. The CS supplementation, however, had no effect （P〉0.05） on meat quality. Dietary CS supplementation increased （P〈0.05） total antioxidant capacity （T-AOC） and decreased malondialdehyde （MDA） with optimal responses occurring at 70 mg/kg. CS supplementation at both 70 mg/kg and 140 mg/kg doses improved （P〈0.05） the muscle RNA/DNA ratio. Collectively, the results suggest dietary supplementation of 70 mg/kg CS could significantly improve growth performance and antioxidant status without adverse effects on the gastrointestinal tracts in finishing pigs while the 140 mg/kg CS supplementation improved the carcass quality. However, meat quality was not affected by CS supplementation.

Comparative Study on Growing-finishing Performance and Meat Quality of Different Hybrid Combinations in Pigs

[Objective] The aim of this study was to investigate the production performance of three pig cultivars through their fattening performance, carcass traits and meat quality for facilitating its application in practical production. [ Method] Three pig cultivars were selected including Yesong （ F1 hybrid of pure-bred wild boar cross with songliao black sow as female parent） hybrid pigs, D × L × Y pigs from three-way cross and L x Y pigs from two-way cross. The test pigs in early period （before 60 kg） and late period （after 60 kg） were all fed with diets of the same nutritional level by free feeding and drinking water. The pre-test period was 3 d, while the test period was 120 d. Every 30 days, pigs with an empty stomach were weighed on morning, and when fattening to 120 d, five pigs with good growth and development in each cultivar were selected for slaughter to determine carcass traits and meat quality. [ Result] Under the same diets and feeding conditions, average daily gain and weight gain in the whole period of pigs from three-way cross were all significantly higher than those of pigs from two-way cross, and also extremely higher than those of Yesong pigs. There was no difference in dressed carcass percentage, backfat thickness and proportion of hind leg among three hybrid combinations. Lean meat percentage and eye muscle area of pigs from three-way cross and pigs from two-way cross were all significantly higher than those of Yesong pigs. Yesong pigs had relatively darker carnation, but marble vein （P〈0.05） and water loss rate （P〈0. 01 ） of Yesong pigs were relatively fewer than those of pigs from two-way cross and pigs from three-way cross. Shear force of Yesong pigs was significantly higher than that of pigs from two-way cross and pigs from three-way cross, [ Conclusion] Yesong hybrid pigs make full use of heterosis between wild pigs and Songliao black pigs for improvement of its meat quality, but some values of major economic traits in Yesong hybrid pigs is still lower than those in pigs from thrae-way cross and pigs from two-way cress.

Effect of Dietary Supplementation of Fu-libao and Glutamic Acid on Finishing and Slaughter Performance and Meat Quality of Pigs

[Objective]The paper was to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation of Fu-libao and L-glutamic acid on finishing and slaughter performances and meat quality trait of"L(Large Yorkshire)×L(Landrace)"crossbred pigs.[Method]Twelve individuals of L×L crossbred pigs with similar body weight of about 51 kg were selected.The pigs were randomly divided into two groups,three replicates each group,two piglets each replicate.The pigs in control group were fed with conventional diet(control diet),and pigs in treatment group were fed with the control diet added with 0.1%Fu-libao(mainly contained soybean phospholipid)and 0.6%L-glutamic acid.All the pigs were under the same feeding conditions except for different diets during the trial.At the end of the trial,one pig with similar body weight was selected from each replicate for slaughter and determination of meat quality.[Result]Dietary supplementation of Fu-libao and L-glutamic acid had no significant impact on finishing performance of pigs between the two groups(P>0.05),but the back fat thickness of pigs in treatment group was increased(P<0.05).On the contrary,the longissimus muscle(LM)area,meat color and water-holding capacity(WHC)were reduced significantly compared with the control group(P<0.05).However,the contents of glutamic acid,glysine,alanine,threonine,proline,valine and arginine in LM were increased significantly compared with the control group(P<0.05);moreover,the total amino acid and total flavor amino acid contents in LM were increased by 5.85%(P<0.05)and 6.87%(P<0.05)respectively.In addition,the content of intramuscular fat(IMF)in LM was improved from 5.11±0.24(control group)to 8.86±0.52(treatment group)(P<0.05).[Conclusion]Although dietary supplementation of Fu-libao and L-glutamic acid did not increase the finishing and slaughter performances of L×L crossbred pigs,it significantly enhanced the contents of total amino acid,total flavor amino acid and IMF,and significantly improved meat quality.

Effects of Addition of Amino Acids or Soybean Phospholipid in Diet on Slaughter Performance and Meat Quality of Pigs

[Objectives]The study aims to discuss the effects of addition of arginine and glutamic acid or soybean phospholipid,vitamin E and yeast selenium in diet on the slaughter performance and meat quality of long(white)×large(York)binary hybrid pigs.[Methods]27 long×large castrated hybrid boars with the body weight of(54.4±0.15)kg were randomly divided into 3 groups,with 3 replicates per group and 3 pigs per replicate.Group A was the control group,in which the pigs were fed basal diet;in group B,0.8%arginine and 0.60%glutamate were added to the basal diet;in group C,75 g of soybean phospholipid,20 g of vitamin E and 8 g of yeast selenium were added to every 100 kg of the basal diet.The trial period was 60 d.After the experiment was ended,one test pig with similar body weight was selected from each replicate for slaughter and meat determination.[Results]The average weight gain and eye muscle area of the pigs in group B were significantly higher than those in group C(P<0.05),and also showed an increasing trend compared with group A,but there was no statistically significant difference(P>0.05);there was no significant difference between group B or C and group A in the average weight gain and eye muscle area(P>0.05).There was no significant difference in other slaughter performance between the three groups(P>0.05).Besides,there was also no significant difference in the content of various amino acids,total amino acids and total umami amino acids between the three groups(P>0.05).The inosine content in the longissimus dorsi muscle and muscle cooking loss of binary hybrid pigs in group C were significantly better than those in group B(P<0.05),and also had a tendency to be better than those in group A,but there was no significant difference(P>0.05);there was no significant difference between group B or C and group A in the inosine content and muscle cooking loss of the pigs(P>0.05).In addition,there was no significant difference in other meat traits and chemical composition of the longissimus dorsi muscle between group B or C and group A(P>0.05).[Conclusions]The addition of arginine and glutamic acid or soybean phospholipid,vitamin E and yeast selenium in diet had no significant effect on the growth rate,slaughter performance and meat traits of long×large binary hybrid pigs.

Different dietary starch sources alter the carcass traits, meat quality, and the profile of muscle amino acid and fatty acid in finishing pigs

Background: With increasing health awareness among consumers, the demand for healthier, tastier, higher quality and nutritional value pork is increasing. It has been shown that different dietary starch sources can alter the carcass traits and meat quality. However, research on the effects of different starch sources with clear different amylose/amylopectin ratio on the amino acid and fatty acid composition in Longissimus thoracis(L. thoracis) muscle of pigs is limited. This study aimed to investigate the effects of different dietary starch sources on carcass traits, meat quality, muscle amino acid and fatty acid composition, and the mRNA expression levels of genes involved in lipid metabolism and muscle fiber characteristics in finishing pigs. A total of 72 Duroc × Landrace × Large White barrows were randomly allocated to 3 different dietary treatment groups with 8 replicate pens/group and 3 pigs per pen.Tapioca starch(TS), corn starch(CS), and pea starch(PS), with amylose/amylopectin ratio of 0.11, 0.25, and 0.44,respectively, were used as their dietary starch sources for 40 days.Results: Results showed that the PS diet significantly increased(P < 0.05) the final body weight, average daily gain,loin-eye area, and fat-free lean index compared with the TS diet, but significantly decreased(P < 0.05) the feed to gain ratio and backfat thickness. Compared with the TS diet, PS diet also increased(P < 0.05) the pH45 min, marbling scores, the content of intramuscular fat and inosine monophosphate in the L. thoracis, and decreased(P < 0.05) the drip loss and shear force. In addition, compared with the TS diet, PS diet increased(P < 0.05) the proportions of flavor amino acids, DHA, EPA, and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid(PUFA) in the L. thoracis compared with TS diet,but decreased(P < 0.05) the ratio of n-6/n-3 PUFA. Furthermore, compared with the TS diet, PS diet also upregulated(P < 0.05) the lipogenic genes(FAS, LPL, SCD, ACCα) and myosin heavy-chain(MyHC)-IIa mRNA expression levels compared with the TS diet, but downregulated(P < 0.05) the CPT1 B and MyHC-IIb mRNA levels.Conclusions: In conclusion, these results provided compelling evidence that the different dietary starch source altered the carcass traits, meat flavor and quality in finishing pigs, and consumption of a diet with higher amylose/amylopectin ratio results in the production of a healthy, higher quality, and nutritional value pork.

Studies on Reducing Nitrogen Excretion: Ⅰ. Net Energy Requirement of Finishing Pigs Maximizing Performance and Carcass Quality Fed Low Crude Protein Diets Supplemented with Crystalline Amino Acids

Two experiments were conducted to in- vestigate the effects of net energy （NE） level on the performance and carcass traits of finishing pigs fed low crude protein （CP） diets supplemented with crystalline amino acids （CAA）. A total of 216 （Exp. 1） and 360 （Exp. 2 ） barrows （ Yorkshire × Landrace× Duroc ） were allotted to one of six treatments （n =6）. The experimental diets were based on corn and soybean meal, and consisted of a high-CP diet that contained approximately 16% CP and 2.50 Mcal/kg of NE as well as five low-CP diets in which the CP level of the diet was reduced by approximately four percentage units but was supplemented with crystalline lysine, methionine, threonine, and tryptophan. The low CP diets provided 2.64, 2.58, 2.50, 2.42, or 2.36 Mcal/kg in Exp. 1 as well as 2.45, 2.40, 2.35, 2.30, or 2.25 Mcai/kg in Exp.2. In Exp. 1, a linear （P=0.03） increase in weight gain was observed with decreasing NE level while the ratio of gain to feed was unaffect- ed （P 〉 0.05） by NE level. There was a linear in-crease （P = 0.01 ） in the percentage of fat-free lean and a linear decrease （ P = 0.03 ） in the percentage of total fat with decreasing NE levels. In Exp. 2, a sig- nificant quadratic （ P = 0.03 ） effect of NE level was observed for weight gain. The ratio of gain to feed demonstrated a significant （P 〈0.01 ） quadratic effect with pigs fed 2.35 and 2.40 Mcal/kg of NE, Pigs fed the diet containing 2.40 Mcal/kg of NE had the lowest percentage of total fat （36. 95% ） and the highest percentage of fat-free lean （49.36%）. The overall results of these experiments indicate that feed- ing either a surplus or a deficiency of NE is detrimen- tal to both pig performance and carcass composition when low CP diets supplemented with CAA are fed. Our results indicate that when the CP content of the diet is reduced by four percentage units and the diet is properly supplemented with CAA, maximum per- formance and carcass quality will be obtained if the diet provides approximately 2.42 Mcal/kg of NE.

Chinese herb feed additives improved the growth performance, meat quality, and nutrient digestibility parameters of pigs

Background:Since the use of antibiotics in animal feed has become a critical concern worldwide due to severe threats to human health and environment,we are in need of finding alternatives to antibiotics in pig breeding,maintaining the health of pigs,and getting high-quality pork.As traditional Chinese herbs(TCH)are rich natural resources in China and show great benefits to human health we propose to transfer this abundant resource into animal production industry as additives.Methods:Three groups of Chinese herbs(groups A,B,and C)were used as feed additives in the diet for pigs.In total 32 pigs were arranged in four groups(groups A,B,C,and control group,NC),fed in the same facility,eight pigs(one group)in each colony,free drinking,for 120 days.The feed:gain ratio(F/G),meat quality,total protein,and amino acid concentration of muscle were checked in the experiments.Results:After 120 days of feeding,the feed:gain ratio(F/G)of pigs in groups A,B,and C was decreased 17.56%,9.31%,and 13.86%compared with NC treatment,respectively.The diets supplemented with Chinese herbs improved meat quality,increased loin eye area(especially group A and C showed significant difference,P<.001),the total protein(increased ratio vs NC was A=4.54%,B=0.38%and C=3.53%),amino acid concentration of muscle,increased the villus height:crypt depth ratio,and induced positive effects on serum biochemical parameters and immune function(serum TC and TG concentrations were significantly lower than those in the NC group,P<.05.).Conclusions:The use of Chinese herbal feed additives can reduce the cost of pig breeding and produce high-quality pock.The combination of these effects would contribute to better absorption ability of the intestinal tract and yield a better growth performance.

The Influence of Lairage Conditions for Finishing Pigs on Behavior,Biochemical Indicators and Meat Quality

A total of 60 crossbred(Large White×Landrace) pigs of halothane genotype NN(castrated males and females) were allotted to three treatments:3 h lairage with toys,3 h lairage and 0 h lairage in a randomized complete block design and used to evaluate the influence of lairage conditions on behavior, biochemical indicators and meat quality for finishing pigs at slaughter.Behavior of the pigs was scored subjectively during lairage.Blood samples were taken at exsanguination s to measure blood temperature, plasma Cortisol,ACTH,glucose,lactate,plasma enzymes and hematological indices.Post-mortem meat quality measurements included muscle colour value(MCV),electrical conductivity(EC),pH at 45 min and 24 h from Longissimus thoracis(LM) and Semimembranosus(SM) mucles and drip loss from LM. The results showed that 3 h lairage group with toys demonstrated significantly improved behavior than the group without toys at 3 sampling times.All the pigs showed increasing calmness as the time of lairage progressed.The omission of lairage increased plasma Cortisol,ACTH,glucose and lactate(P【0.05),and decreased plasma lactate dehydrogenase(LDH),and creatine kinase(CK)(P【0.05).No biochemical index was influenced by the presence or absence of toys during lairage(P【0.05).Muscle colour value, electrical conductivity,pH at 45 min and 24 h from LM and SM and drip loss were not affected by any treatment(P【0.05).Pigs provided 3 h lairage,with or without toys,exhibited lower red blood cell(RBC), hemoglobin(HGB),and haematocrit(HCT) when compared to 0 h lairage.3 h lairage with or without toys resulted in higher white blood cell(WBC) and lymphocyte(W-SCC) levels than 0 h lairage.None of the hemocytic indices in pigs given lairage was affected by the presence or absence of toys.We conclude from this pilot study that in local commercial conditions,from the point of view of animal welfare and meat quality,lairage time of 3 h after short travel was beneficial.Pigs resting showed increased relief from stress and a recovery in immune competence.Holding pigs in lairage with toys for a few hours after arrival at the abattoir may be beneficial for the animal’s well-being.

Effects of the ratio of unsaturated fatty acid to saturated fatty acid on the growth performance,carcass and meat quality of finishing pigs

The effects on finishing pigs(80-100 kg BW) fed diets supplemented with oil sources containing different ratios of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids(UFA:SFA ratio) were evaluated in 15 barrows and15 gilts(Duroc × Large White × Landrace). Three experimental diets were evaluated using a randomized complete block design, with broken rice, soybean meal and rice bran as the main feedstuffs in the control diet. Diets 2 and 3 consisted of the control diet supplemented with 3% oil, with UFA:SFA ratios of 2.5:1 and 5:1, respectively. Overall, there was no significant difference(P> 0.05) found in the average daily gain(ADG) of the pigs fed the treatment diets; however, the pigs fed the control diet and diet 3 had better(P < 0.05) feed conversion ratios(FCR) than the pigs fed diet 2. The pigs fed diets 2 and 3, which were supplemented with oil at UFA:SFA ratios of 2.5:1 and 5:1, had greater(P < 0.05) average daily feed intakes(ADFI) than the pigs in the control group. Additionally, it was found that the gender of the pigs had an effect(P < 0.05) on the FCR. Interaction effects between the experimental diets and the gender of the pigs(P < 0.05) were found in the ADFI and FCR. There were no significance differences(P > 0.05)among the treatment groups with regard to the carcass quality of the pigs; however, it was found that the gilts had greater(P < 0.01) loin eye areas than the barrows fed diets 2 and 3 and the loin eye area of pig fed diet 2 was the largest(P < 0.05); In the case of the meat quality parameters, it was clearly found that the pigs fed the control diet had a greater(P < 0.05) lightness(L~*) in the meat colour, and the lowest cooking loss was found in the pigs fed the diet supplemented with fat containing the UFA:SFA ratio of 5:1.Overall, the dietary treatment did not significantly affect the drip loss, thawing loss and shear force of the pork. In conclusion, the supplementation of oil with UFA:SFA ratios of 2.5:1 and 5:1 has the potential to improve pork quality.

Dietary β-glucan supplementation improves growth performance,carcass traits and meat quality of finishing pigs

This experiment was conducted to investigate growth performance,carcass traits and meat quality of finishing pigs with dietary β-glucan supplementation.A total of 96 healthy pigs(Duroc x Landrace x Yorkshire;initial average BW=25 kg) were randomly allocated into 4 dietary treatments with 6 replicates per treatment and 4 pigs per replicate.The control group was fed a basal diet,and the experimental diets were supplemented with 50,100 and 200 mg/kg Agrobacterium sp.ZX09β-glucan,respectively.The experiment lasted 103 d.The basal diet supplemented with 100 mg/kg β-glucan significantly increased average daily gain and feed conversion ratio,probably due to the improved digestibility of dry matter,gross energy and crude protein(P <0.05).Beta-glucan supplementation from100 to 200 mg/kg of diet significantly increased carcass length(P <0.05).The basal diet supplemented with 100 mg/kg β-glucan supplementation also significantly(P <0.05) increased muscle pH,reduced drip losses and increased a~*values.The basal diet supplemented with 100 mg/kg β-glucan increased the content of intramuscular fat and changed the proportion of saturated fatty acid and unsaturated fatty acid,thereby improved the flavor of meat.In conclusion,the basal diet supplemented with 100 mg/kg Agrobacterium sp.ZX09 β-glucan improves growth performance,nutrient digestibility,carcass length,and pork quality of finishing pigs.

Effects of dietary protein/energy ratio on growth performance,carcass trait,meat quality,and plasma metabolites in pigs of different genotypes

Background： The protein/energy ratio is important for the production performance and utilization of available feed resources by animals. Increased protein consumption by mammals leads to elevated feed costs and increased nitrogen release into the environment. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary protein/energy ratio on the growth performance, carcass traits, meat quality, and plasma metabolites of pigs of different genotypes. Methods： Bama mini-pigs and Landrace pigs were randomly assigned to two dietary treatment groups （Chinese conventional diet with low protein/energy ratio or National Research Council diet with high protein/energy ratio; n = 24 per treatment） in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement. Blood and muscle samples were collected at the end of the nursery, growing, and finishing phases. Results： We observed significant interactions （P 〈 0.05） between breed and diet for total fat percentage, intramuscular fat （IMF） content, protein content in biceps femoris （BF） muscle, and plasma urea nitrogen （UN） concentration in the nursery phase; for average daily gain （ADG）, average daily feed intake （ADFI）, dry matter, IMF content in psoas major （PM） muscle, and plasma total protein and albumin concentrations in the growing phase; and for drip loss and plasma UN concentration in the finishing phase. Breed influenced （P 〈 0.05） growth performance, carcass traits, and meat quality, but not plasma metabolites. Throughout the trial, Landrace pigs showed significantly higher （P 〈 0.0_5） ADG, ADFI, dressing percentage, lean mass rate, and loin-eye area than did Bama mini-pigs, but significantly lower （P 〈 0.0.5） feed/gain ratio, fat percentage, backfat thickness, and IMF content. Dietary protein/energy ratio influenced the pH value, chemical composition of BF and PM muscles, and plasma activities of glutamic-pyruvic transaminase and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, and plasma concentration of UN. Conclusions： Compared with Landrace pigs, Bama mini-pigs showed slower growth and lower carcass performance, but had better meat quality. Moreover, unlike Landrace pigs, the dietary protein/energy ratio did not affect the growth performance of Bama mini-pigs. These results suggest that, in swine production, low dietary protein/energy ratio may be useful for reducing feed costs and minimizing the adverse effects of ammonia release into the environment.

Determination of the available energy values and amino acid digestibility of Flammulina velutipes stem waste and its effects on carcass trait and meat quality fed to growing-finishing pigs

Background:Flammulina velutipes stem waste(FVS)is the by-product of mushroom industry.The objectives of this study were to determine the available energy and amino acid digestibility of FVS fed to pigs,and to evaluate the effects of dietary FVS inclusion on growth performance,biochemical profile of serum,fecal short chain fatty acid(SCFA)concentration,carcass traits,meat quality,intestinal morphology and microflora of pigs.In Exp.1,twelve crossbred barrows with initial body weight(IBW)of 37.48±4.31 kg were randomly allotted to 2 dietary treatments,including a corn basal diet and an experimental diet containing 24.35%FVS.In Exp.2,twelve barrows fitted with an ileal T-cannula(IBW:32.56±1.67 kg)were randomly allotted to 2 dietary treatments,which included a N-free diet and an experimental diet containing 40.0%FVS.In Exp.3,ninety growing pigs(IBW:63.98±6.89 kg)were allotted to 1 of 3 treatment diets for 63 d,including a basal diet and 2 experimental diets with 2.5%and 5%FVS,respectively.Results:The digestible energy(DE)and metabolizable energy(ME)of FVS were 4.58 and 4.06 MJ/kg on dry matter basis,respectively,and the standardized ileal digestibility(SID)of indispensable AAs ranged from 17.50%to 59.47%.Pigs fed diets with 2.5%FVS showed no difference on average daily gain(ADG)and gain to feed ratio(G/F).Although dietary 5%FVS inclusion impaired apparent total tract digestibility(ATTD)of organic matter and gross energy,it elevated the SCFA concentration(P≤0.04)in gut and antioxidant capacity in serum.In addition,dietary FVS inclusion depressed the backfat thickness(P=0.03)in pigs.The longissimus dorsi muscle of pigs fed FVS revealed higher n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid concentration and optimized fatty acid composition.Dietary 2.5%FVS inclusion also improved the intestinal development and health by increasing the villius height to crypt depth ratio(V/C)in jejunum(P<0.01),and promoting microbial diversity and beneficial microbiota proliferation.Conclusions:It is feasible to include moderate content of FVS as an unconventional fiber ingredient in diet of growingfinishing pigs.

Fermented mixed feed alters growth performance,carcass traits,meat quality and muscle fatty acid and amino acid profiles in finishing pigs

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of fermented mixed feed(FMF)on growth performance,carcass traits,meat quality,muscle amino acid and fatty acid composition and mRNA expression levels of genes related to lipid metabolism in finishing pigs.In the present study,144 finishing pigs(Duroc×Berkshire×Jiaxing Black)were randomly allocated to 3 dietary treatments with 4 replicate pens per group and 12 pigs per pen.The dietary treatments included a basal diet(CON),a basal diet+5%FMF and a basal diet+10%FMF.The experiment lasted 38 d after 4 d of acclimation.The results showed that 5%and 10%FMF significantly increased the average daily gain(ADG)of the females but not the males(P<0.05),but FMF supplementation showed no impact on carcass traits.Moreover,10%FMF supplementation increased the meat color45 min and meat color24 h values,while it decreased the shear force relative to CON(P<0.05).In addition,10%FMF significantly increased the contents of flavor amino acids(FAA),total essential AA(EAA),total non-EAA(NEAA)and total AA relative to CON(P<0.05).Furthermore,the diet supplemented with 10%FMF significantly increased the concentration of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids(PUFA),n-6 PUFA and total PUFA,and the PUFA to saturated fatty acids ratio(P<0.05),suggesting that FMF supplementation increased meat quality.Moreover,compared with the CON,10%FMF supplementation increased the mRNA expression of lipogenic genes,including CEBPα,PPARγ,SREBP1 and FABP4,and upregulated the expression of unsaturated fatty acid synthesis(ACAA1 and FADS2).Together,our results suggest that 10%FMF dietary supplementation improved the female pigs’growth performance,improved the meat quality and altered the profiles of muscle fatty acids and amino acids in finishing pigs.This study provides a reference for the production of high-quality pork.

Effect of rearing conditions on carcass and pork quality attributes of finishing pigs

The effects of sex, housing temperature, feed ingredients and slaughter weight on carcass and meat quality were investigated. A total of three-way crossbred （LWD） 100 pigs were used in a completely randomized design to study the influence of rearing condition, in the growing finishing period, the initial weight, finial weight, live weight, total feeding days, daily weight gain and total feed consumptions affected carcass traits and meat qualities. In conclusion, the rearing condition will give a significant effect on pork and carcass quality so that they can be controlled by changing the raising situation.

Dietary lycopene supplementation improves meat quality,antioxidant capacity and skeletal muscle fiber type transformation in finishing pigs

This study aimed to investigate effects of dietary lycopene supplementation on meat quality,antioxidant ability and muscle fiber type transformation in finishing pigs.In a 70-day experiment,18 DurocLandraceYorkshire barrows were randomly allocated to 3 dietary treatments including a basal diet supplemented with 0,100 and 200 mg/kg lycopene,respectively.Each dietary treatment had 6 replicates with one pig each.Results showed that dietary 200 mg/kg lycopene supplementation increased muscle redness a^(*)value,intramuscular fat and crude protein contents,and decreased muscle lightness L^(*)and yellowness b^(*)values(P<0.05),suggesting that addition of 200 mg/kg lycopene to the diet of finishing pigs improved color,nutritional value and juiciness of pork after slaughter.Results also showed that dietary lycopene supplementation enhanced antioxidant capacity of finishing pigs(P<0.05).Moreover,dietary supplementation of 200 mg/kg lycopene significantly increased slow myosin heavy chain(MyHC)protein level and slow-twitch fiber percentage,and decreased fast MyHC protein level and fast-twitch fiber percentage(P<0.05),suggesting that the addition of 200 mg/kg lycopene to the diet of finishing pigs promoted muscle fiber type conversion from fast-twitch to slow-twitch.Together,we provide the first evidence that dietary 200 mg/kg lycopene supplementation improves meat quality,enhances antioxidant capacity and promotes muscle fiber type transformation from fast-twitch to slow-twitch in finishing pigs.

Effect of dietary supplementation with sugar cane extract on meat quality and oxidative stability in finishing pigs

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation with sugar cane extract(SCE) on meat quality and oxidative stability of Longissimus dorsi muscle in finishing pigs.Eighteen barrows(Duroc × Landrace × Jiaxing Black), with an average initial body weight of 62.1 ± 5.0 kg,were randomly allotted to 1 of 3 diets with 6 replicates per treatment for 42 days. The diets comprised a normal diet and the normal diets supplemented with 5 and 25 g/kg SCE. The results showed that SCE supplementation did not affect final body weight of finishing pigs. Dietary SCE supplementation significantly increased(P < 0.05) Longissimus dorsi muscle pH_(24 h),and tended to reduce(P < 0.1) and significantly decreased(P < 0.05) shear force, drip loss, myofiber cross sectional area and lactate dehydrogenase activity at 5 and 25 g/kg, respectively. Meanwhile, dietary SCE treatments significantly decreased(P < 0.05) malonaldehyde content and total superoxide dismutase activity in Longissimus dorsi muscle, and tended to reduce(P < 0.1) malonaldehyde content in serum. Altogether, these data indicate that SCE is an effective feed additive to improve pork meat quality, and the underlying mechanism may be partly due to the improved oxidative stability induced by dietary SCE supplementation.

Effects of Low Protein Diets Supplemented with Ami-no Acids on Production Performance,Carcass Qual-ity and Input-output Ratio of Pigs

[ Objectives ] To study the effects of low-protein diets supplemented with amino acids on the production performance, carcass quality and input-output ratio of fattening pigs and growing-finishing pigs. [ Methods] Two studies were conducted on fattening pigs and growing pigs respectively. Pigs in two experimental groupswere fed with low-protein diets supplemented with amino acids and normal diets respectively, and the initial weight, final weight, feed consumption and car- cass index of the tested pigs were measured. [ Results] The average final weight of fattening pigs in test group was 2.4 kg lower than that in control group, while the difference was not significant （P 〉 0.05 ）. The average daily gain of fattening pigs in test group was 60 g lower than that in control group, indicating that low protein diets had a tendency to decrease the growth rate （P 〉 0.05 ）, and reduction of daily weight gain in low protein diet pigs reached 7.6%. The development of pigs in low protein diet group was poor, however, the difference was not significant. Carcass backfat thickness in low-protein diet group was slightly higher than that in control group, the difference was significant （ P 〈 0.05 ）. There was no significant difference in input-output ratio between low-protein diet group and control group. Finalweight of growing-finishing pigs in low-protein diet group was 3.22 % lower than that in control group, the average daily weight gainwas 6.91% lower than that in control group, feed intake in test group was 5.48% lower than that in control group, and difference between the two treatments was significant （P 〈 0.05 ）. Feed meat ratio in low-protein diet group improved, however, the difference was not significant（P 〉0.05）. [ Conclusions] Production performance of the pigs would be decreasedand the input-output ratio could not be improvedwhen the adding contents of crude protein in diets was reduced 3% -4%. Therefore, it is recommended that the crude protein level should be enough when pigs were fed with low-protein diets.

Effects of Probiotics on Growth, Pork Quality and Serum Metabolites in Growing-finishing Pigs

A total of 72 growing-finishing pigs（56 days old） were used to investigate the effects of dietary probiotics on growing performance, pork quality and serum metabolites. Using single factorial experiment design, pigs were allotted to three groups（four pens/group and six pigs/pen）. Diet treatments were a corn-soybean meal（control group） and a corn-soybean meal with 1% probiotics（probiotics group） or 80 mg kg-1colistin sulfate（antibiotics group）. Pigs were slaughtered when pigs of the lightest averaged 90 kg（157 days of age）. There was no difference（p＆gt;0.05） in average daily gain or feed/gain, and the average daily feed intake of the antibiotics group was higher than that of the probiotics and the control groups（p＆lt;0.05）. Diet supplemented with probiotics reduced the drip loss and cooking loss of pork（p＆lt;0.05）. Dietary supplementation with probiotics significantly decreased the content of triglycerides, lowdensity lipoprotein and urea nitrogen in serum（p＆lt;0.05）, and increased the content of high-density lipoprotein in serum（p＆lt;0.05）. These results suggested improving effects of dietary probiotics on pork quality and serum metabolism in growing-finishing pigs.

大蒜素对育肥猪生长性能、屠宰性能及肉品质的影响

试验探讨了不同水平的大蒜素对育肥猪生长性能、屠宰性能及肉品质的影响,确定大蒜素在育肥猪生产中的最适添加水平。试验选择体重相近的健康的“杜×长×大”三元杂交育肥猪250头,随机分成5组,每组5个重复,每个重复10头猪。对照组育肥猪饲喂基础饲粮,大蒜素组育肥猪分别饲喂含有50(试验组1)、100(试验组2)、200(试验组3)、400 mg/kg(试验组4)大蒜素的试验饲粮。预试验1周,正式试验期42 d。结果显示,与对照组比较,试验组3和试验组4育肥猪末重显著提高(P<0.05),试验组3的平均日增重提高了11.60%(P<0.05),试验组2和试验组3育肥猪的料重比降低了8.64%和11.96%(P<0.05)。试验组3组育肥猪的宰前活重显著高于对照组(P<0.05);试验组2、试验组3和试验组4育肥猪的胴体重显著高于对照组(P<0.05),背膘厚度显著低于对照组(P<0.05)。试验组3和试验组4育肥猪的背最长肌pH值显著高于对照组(P<0.05),滴水损失显著低于对照组和试验组1(P<0.05),肌苷酸含量显著高于对照组(P<0.05);试验组3背最长肌的红度显著高于对照组和试验组1(P<0.05),试验组2、试验组3和试验组4背最长肌的剪切力显著低于对照组(P<0.05)。试验组3和试验组4育肥猪背最长肌中的总氨基酸、总必需氨基酸及鲜味氨基酸含量显著高于对照组(P<0.05)。研究表明,在育肥猪饲粮中添加适量的大蒜素可以提高生长性能和屠宰性能,改善肌肉品质,大蒜素的最适添加水平为200 mg/kg。

苜蓿减量替代豆粕日粮在猪生产中的应用

畜牧业集约化养殖模式带来了很多负面问题,比如过度依赖精料、粮食消耗大、母猪繁殖性能下降、猪肉品质变差等。目前猪日粮大多以常规玉米-豆粕型为主,导致我国优质蛋白质饲料短缺问题日益严重,畜牧业生产中的大豆严重依赖于进口。紫花苜蓿蛋白质含量高,被称为“牧草之王”,具有替代豆粕的潜力。文章综述了苜蓿减量替代豆粕日粮在猪中的应用效果,以及苜蓿对猪生长和繁殖性能、肠道健康、猪肉品质的影响及机制,以推动优质饲草在猪中的高效利用,减少传统日粮对豆粕的过度依赖,推动畜牧业提质增效和草-畜有机融合。