title: Supplementing antioxidants to pigs fed diets high in oxidants: II. Effects on carcass characteristics, meat quality, and fatty acid profile.
abstract: The study was conducted to determine effects of dietary supplementation with a blend of antioxidants (ethoxyquin and propyl gallate) on carcass characteristics, meat quality, and fatty acid profile in finishing pigs fed a diet high in oxidants. A total of 100 crossbred barrows (10.9±1.4 kg BW, 36±2 d of age) were randomly allotted to 5 diet treatments (5 replicate pens per treatment, 4 pigs per pen). Treatments included: 1) HO: high oxidant diet containing 5% oxidized soy oil and 10% PUFA source which contributed 5.56% crude fat and 2.05% docosahexanoic acid (DHA) to the diet; 2) VE: the HO diet with 11 IU/kg of added vitamin E; 3) AOX: the HO diet with antioxidant blend (135 mg/kg); 4) VE+AOX: the HO diet with both vitamin E and antioxidant blend; and 5) SC: a standard corn-soy control diet with nonoxidized oil and no PUFA source. The trial lasted for 118 d; on d 83, the HO diet pigs were switched to the SC diet due to very poor health. From that point, the VE pigs displayed the poorest performance. On d 118, 2 pigs from each pen were harvested for sampling. Compared to pigs fed SC diet, the HO and VE pigs (P<0.05) showed lighter carcass weight, less back fat, less lean body mass, and smaller loin eye area. In addition, the VE pigs had decreased dressing percentage than the AOX and VE+AOX pigs (65.7 vs. 75.3 and 74.2%). Compared to the SC pigs, greater moisture percentage (74.7 vs. 77.4%) and less extractable lipid content (2.43 vs. 0.95%) were found in VE fed pigs (P<0.05). Drip loss of loin muscle in VE pigs was less than SC pigs (0.46 vs. 3.98%, P=0.02), which was associated with a trend for a greater 24-h muscle pH (5.74 vs. 5.54, P=0.07). The antioxidant blend addition in the high oxidant diet attenuated all of these effects to levels similar to SC (P>0.05), except a* value (redness) and belly firmness. Visible yellow coloration of backfat and lipofuscin in HO and VE pigs was observed at harvest at d 118. The high oxidant diet resulted in greater concentration of DHA in backfat (P<0.001); switching the diet on d 83 resulted in HO pigs having a similar fatty acid profile to SC at d 118 pigs. Vitamin E concentration in plasma and muscle was greater in HO and SC than VE, AOX, and VE+AOX on d 118. Feeding the high oxidant diet caused a series of changes in carcass characteristics and meat quality. Addition of antioxidant blend attenuated many of these, whereas the protective effects of supplemental vitamin E at 11 IU/kg were minimal during the finisher phase of the study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, 24061.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, 24061 alharper@vt.edu.
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Harper
authors.affiliation: Novus International Inc., St. Charles, MO 63304.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Dibner
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, 24061.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Scheffler
authors.affiliation: Department of Dairy Science, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, 24061.
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Corl
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, 24061.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Estienne
authors.affiliation: Novus International Inc., St. Charles, MO 63304.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, 24061.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Dalloul
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis*; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000187:drug effects*; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001823:Body Composition / Q000187:drug effects*; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000032:analysis*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat; D016877:Oxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D013024:Soybean Oil; D034421:Sus scrofa / Q000254:growth & development*; D013552:Swine; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D003313:Zea mays
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D005227:Fatty Acids; D016877:Oxidants; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D014810:Vitamin E; D013024:Soybean Oil
keywords: antioxidant; carcass characteristics; fatty acid profile; meat quality; pigs