title: Methionine, folic acid and vitamin B12 in growing-finishing pigs: impact on growth performance and meat quality.
abstract: Growth performance, metabolic variables, and meat quality were measured in 78 growing-finishing pigs using supplements of 0 (C), or 0.2% of DL-methionine (M), and three combinations of folic acid [mg/kg] and cyanocobalamin [microg/kg], respectively 0 and 0 (V0), 10 and 25 (V1), and 10 and 150 (V2) in a 2 x 3 factorial arrangement. Feed conversion was lower (p = 0.05) in M than in C pigs during the growing period (0-4 weeks). Both V1 and V2 treatments increased plasma vitamin B12 (p < 0.01) and decreased plasma homocysteine (p < 0.01). Plasma 5-methyl-tetrahydrofolates were the lowest, highest and intermediate in V0, V1 and V2 pigs (p < 0.04), respectively. In V2 meat, folates were 32% higher, vitamin B12, 55% higher and homocysteine, 28% lower than in V0 (p < 0.01). Oxidative stability of the fresh meat was similar among treatments during a storage period of 42 days. Therefore, methionine supplements improved growth performance during the growing period. Vitamin supplements interacted with the methionine cycle pathway, increased vitamin content of pork meat but did not improve oxidative stability of the fresh meat during storage.
authors.affiliation: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Dairy and Swine Research and Development Centre, Sherbrooke, Lennoxville, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giguére
authors.forename: Christiane L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Girard
authors.forename: J Jacques
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Matte
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D001823:Body Composition / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000592:standards*; D008715:Methionine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D011897:Random Allocation; D013552:Swine / Q000097:blood / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D014803:Vitamin B Complex / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D015430:Weight Gain
chemical_list: D006710:Homocysteine; D014803:Vitamin B Complex; D005492:Folic Acid; D008715:Methionine; D014805:Vitamin B 12