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The use of phytochemicals in animal nutrition is consistent with the global trend of antibiotic growth promoters and natural products for animal welfare and production. There are advantages to examining the potential health effects of extracts including anti-cancer and antioxidant properties from materials of various natural sources, which are less toxic, have fewer side effects and do not present problems of drug resistance. An example of that is citrus extract. This component, due to the presence of vitamin C, flavonoids, phenolic, alkaloids, and terpenoids, exhibits a wide range of potential health benefits, such as antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-bacterial, hypoglycemic and cholesterol-lowering activities. For the aim of improving the quality of meat products using only respectful additives, this study investigated the effects of citrus extract on growth, carcass, and meat quality of Duroc × Landrace × Large White pigs. One hundred and eight pigs (54 barrows, 54 females) were assigned to one of three dietary treatments for 138 days. The dietary treatments were (1) basic diet; (2) basic diet supplemented with 75 mg/kg chlortetracycline; and (3) basic diet supplemented with citrus extract (0.25 ml/kg during 56-112 days of age and 0.20 ml/kg during 113-194 days of age).
As a result, no significant differences among treatments were found for growth performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality and free amino acids. Feeding citrus extract tended to increase intramuscular fat. Citrus extract and chlortetracycline increased C15:0 concentration and superoxide dismutase activity. The pigs that received chlortetracycline exhibited the lowest muscle malondialdehyde concentration.
It is concluded that long-term citrus extract dietary supplementation for pigs had no adverse effect on growth and carcass performance, and increased nutritional value and levels of flavor substances.
Cui YY, Tian ZM, Deng D, Liu ZC, Wang G, Chen WD, Ma XY. Effects of dietary citrus extract on growth performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality of pigs. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition. 2022; 106(4): 813-824. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpn.13623
