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Growth performance of animals is affected by many factors such as breed, feeding, and some years ago, antibiotics. Nowadays, the use of antibiotics for growth and prevention of pathogen diseases is banned, therefore, research in alternative sources is needed. There are promising alternatives coming from medicinal plants, which are considered safe and effective in disease prevention, growth promotion, and quality enhancement of animal products. Green tea (Camellia sinensis) is a variety of the tea plant that contains bioactive compounds, when supplemented in the diet can show numerous health benefits and special effects on animal parameters. This study aimed to assess the effects of green tea by-products (GTBP) in the diet on some blood parameters, growth performance, and carcass characteristics of finishing pigs and on meat quality, and nutritional composition of pork. One hundred and sixty crossbred pigs were distributed into four dietary treatments. The dietary treatments were a basal diet (control), and three experimental diets (GTBP8, GTBP16, and GTBP24) based on the control diet supplemented with GTBP at 8, 16, and 24 g/kg of feed. The studied parameters were examined during the experimental period of 10 weeks.
No statistical differences in average daily feed intake, average daily gain, and feed conversion ratio were observed between the diet treatments. Backfat thickness decreased according to the GTBP levels but no other carcass parameters. Meat quality was not influenced by the GTBP levels. However, pigs fed with GTBP had a decrease in cholesterol content and an increase in crude protein and total omega-3 content of pork compared to the control diet. Moreover, dietary supplementation with GTBP significantly decreased plasma cholesterol, and trends for the decrease in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and urea nitrogen were observed.
Up to 24 g/kg GTBP in the diet for finishing pigs does not impair animal performance and makes carcass leaner with softer meat as well as positive effects on cholesterol and fatty acid metabolism.
Oanh NC, Thu CTT, Hong NT, Giang NTP, Hornick JL, Dang PK. Growth performance, meat quality, and blood characteristics of finisher crossbred pigs fed diets supplemented with different levels of green tea (Camellia sinensis) by-products. Veterinary World. 2023; 16(1): 27. www.doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2023.27-34
