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The composition of the diet affects carcass and meat quality of finishing pigs and fatty acid composition of the meat which is important to produce healthier meat. In this study, 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 and 15 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 effect on the average daily gain (ADG) of the pigs fed the experimental diets; however, pigs fed the control diet and diet 3 showed better feed conversion ratios (FCR) than the pigs fed diet 2. Pigs fed diets 2 and 3, which were supplemented with oil at UFA:SFA ratios of 2.5:1 and 5:1, showed higher average daily feed intakes (ADFI) than the pigs in the control group. Barrows fed diet 2 had better FCR than the gilts; however, a better FCR was found in the gilts than the barrows fed the control diet. No effects were observed on carcass quality; however, it was observed that gilts had greater loin eye areas than the barrows fed diets 2 and 3 and the loin eye area of pig fed diet 2 was the largest. Meat from pigs fed the control diet had a greater lightness (L∗), and the lowest cooking loss was observed for pigs fed the diet supplemented with fat containing the UFA:SFA ratio of 5:1.
In conclusion, the supplementation of oil with UFA:SFA ratios of 2.5:1 and 5:1 has the potential to improve pork quality.
Tartrakoon, W., Tartrakoon, T., & Kitsupee, N. (2016). Effects of the ratio of unsaturated fatty acid to saturated fatty acid on the growth performance, carcass and meat quality of finishing pigs. Animal Nutrition, 2(2), 79-85. doi:10.1016/j.aninu.2016.03.004