Effect of new livestock feeds phytonutrients on productivity, carcass composition and meat quality in pigs

S. Ivanova, J. Nakev, T. Nikolova, D. V.-Vangelova, D. Balev, S. Dragoev, D. Gerrard, L. Grozlekova and D. Tashkova

Abstract: Improving pig growth performance, nutrient digestibility and pork quality is a main goal of pig breeding. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of Larix sibirica dihydroquercetin (DHQ) or dry distilled rose (Rosa damascena) petals (DDRP) on growth performance, carcass composition, meat quality, blood parameters and histological changes in ovaries and liver in native Danube White fattening pigs. A total of 120 pigs were used in the experiment lasting 45 days prior to harvest. The pigs were divided into five groups. The control group (C) was fed a basal diet. The other four experimental groups were fed the same diets containing either 3.5 and 7.5 mg DHQ/kg/d or 0.255 and 0.545 g DDRP/kg/d. The supplementations with DHQ or DDRP increased the average body weight by 7.74 – 9.05%, the average daily gain by 27.06 – 30.13%, and feed to gain ratio by 12.53 – 15.99%, while decreasing the feed intake by 5.24 – 13.84% and the average liver weight by 10.53 – 21.12% compared to the control group. Both supplementations did not cause pathological changes in the histological structure of pigs’ liver and ovaries; and had no influence on pH values and proximate composition of m. Longissimus thoracis and m.Semimembranosus. No pH determined stress-induced muscle damage was found and the pork carcasses were classified in classes E and U. The two used supplementations reduced the blood LDL cholesterol by 13.27 – 14.29 % and increased the erythrocytes, platelets, hematocrit, mean red blood cell count, mean hemoglobin concentration in erythrocytes, triglycerides and total cholesterol as well. The addition of 3.5 mg DHQ/kg/d or 0.545 g DDRP/kg/d to pigs ‘diet can be used as growth promoters of natural origin with a favorable effect on blood metabolites and meat quality, due to their bioactive properties.

Keywords: blood parameters; dihydroquercetin; dry distilled rose petals; growth performance; histology

Date published: 2021-12-16