• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• v.52 no.1
• /
• pp.23-28
• /
• 2010

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of probiotics supplementation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, fecal concentrations of Lactobacillus and Escherichia coli, emission of noxious gases from the feces, and circulating concentrations of the blood cells in early-finishing pigs. A total of sixty pigs [(Landrace ${\times}$ Yorkshire) ${\times}$ Duroc] (initial body weight 56.48 ${\pm}$ 1.66 kg) were used for the 28 days feeding trial. Dietary treatments included 1) CON (basal diet), 2) P1 (CON + 0.1% Agariemycetes) and 3) P2 (CON + 0.2% Agariemycetes). There were three dietary treatments with five replicate pens per treatment and four pigs per pen. There was no significant difference in ADG (average dairy gain) among the treatments (P>0.05). The gain/feed ratio was higher in P2 than CON (P<0.05). The P2 showed the highest digestibility of dry matter and energy (P<0.05). No significant difference was observed in the fecal Lactobacillus counts but fecal Escherichia coli population of P2 was lower than that of CON (P<0.05). The ammonia, $H_2S$ and total mercaptan was higher in P1 and P2 than CON (P<0.05). Blood characteristics were not affected by probiotics (P>0.05) supplementation. In conclusion, the results showed that dietary supplementation of probiotics at 0.2% level affected gain/feed ratio, dry matter and energy digestibility; reduced fecal Escherichia coli and emission of fecal noxious gases in finishing pigs.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• v.50 no.5
• /
• pp.695-704
• /
• 2008

This study was conducted to investigate effects of dietary crude protein(CP) level and supplementation of conjugated linoleic acid(CLA) on growth performances and meat quality parameters in finishing pigs. The experiment was designed using protein levels(11.3%, 16.0%) and CLA levels(0%, 2.5%) according to 2×2 factorial design. A total of forty-eight pigs [(Landrace×Yorkshire)×Duroc] with an average initial weight of 79±1kg were allotted to one of four dietary treatments. Each treatment had four replications of three pigs per replicate. Final body weight(P<0.05) and average daily gain(P<0.01) were lower in 11.3% CP treatments than in 16.0% CP treatments, while feed/gain was high(P<0.01) in 11.3% CP treatments compared with 16.0% CP treatments. Carcass weight was lighter in 11.3% CP treatments(P<0.001) and CLA 2.5% treatments(P<0.01) than in 16.0% CP and CLA 0% treatments, respectively. A significant interaction between CP and CLA on carcass weight was observed(P<0.01), where supplementation of 2.5% CLA to finishing diets decreased carcass weight in 16.0% CP treatments, while no difference was found in 11.3% CP treatments. Backfat thickness was thinner in 11.3% CP treatments and CLA 2.5% treatments than in 16.0% CP and CLA 0% treatments, respectively(P<0.05). A significant interaction between CP and CLA on backfat thickness was observed(P<0.001), where supplementation of 2.5% CLA to finishing diets decreased backfat thickness in 16.0% CP treatments, while no difference was found in 11.3% CP treatments. Marbling score and intramuscular fat contents were higher in 11.3% CP treatments than in 16.0% CP treatments(P<0.01). In conclusion, feeding of protein-deficient diets in finishing pigs could produce favorable pork with high marbling score and thinner backfat. On the other hand, supplementation of CLA was considered to decrease backfat thickness when diets with optimal level of crude protein were fed to finishing pigs.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• v.45 no.2
• /
• pp.219-228
• /
• 2003

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the influence of dietary supplementation of yeast culture on the nutrient digestibility, performance and meat quality in growing-finishing pigs. Corn-soy basal diets contained 20, 18, and 16% CP and 3,265kcal/kg ME at different growth stages. One hundred and twenty pigs(8wk-old) were allocated into four supplementation levels of yest culture (0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4%) in Expt 1. Weight gain, feed intake and feed efficiency were periodically recorded for 112 days. A metabolic feeding trial was conducted to measure the nutrient digestibility. Physical and chemical characteristics of the Longissimus Dorsi muscle(LM) from the pigs were measured at the end of experiment (Expt 2). In Expt 1, weight gain and feed efficiency were not different among the dietary treatment groups during the overall period. The digestibilities of protein and fiber were greater in 0.1% and 0.2% yeast culture-supplemented groups than in control (P<0.05). However, fat and ash digestibilities were not improved by the dietary treatment. In Expt 2, the LM protein content in 0.1% yeast culture-supplemented group, but not in 0.2% or 0.4%-supplemented group, was greater than that in the control group (P<0.05). The LM pH, purge loss, cooking loss and color were not affected by the dietary treatment. The LM shearing force was less in 0.2% yeast culture-supplemented group than in the control group (P<0.05). Other LM physicochemical properties did not differ between the dietary treatment groups. Total saturated and unsaturated fatty acids percentages and total cholesterol content of the LM did not differ across the dietary treatment groups.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.20 no.5
• /
• pp.761-767
• /
• 2007

This study was conducted to determine the effects of exogenous zinc-metallothionein (Zn-MT) on anti-oxidative function and pork quality. After feeding a corn-soybean meal-based diet for two weeks, 48 pigs ($Duroc{\times}Landrace{\times}Chinese\;Black Pig$) were assigned randomly to four groups. Pigs in Group 1 were maintained under non-stress conditions, whereas pigs in Groups 2, 3 and 4 were aggressively handled for 25 min to produce stress. Pigs in Groups 1, 2, 3, and 4 received intramuscular administration of saline (control group; CON), 0 (negative control group; NCON), 0.8 (low dose group; LOW), and 1.6 (high dose group; HIGH) mg rabbit liver Zn-MT per kg body weight, respectively. Pigs were slaughtered at 3 and 6 h post-injection. Zn-MT treatment increased (p<0.05) the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione-peroxidase (GSH-PX) while decreasing the concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) in liver. These responses were greater (p<0.05) at 6 h than at 3 h post Zn-MT injection. Zn-MT treatment increased (p<0.05) hepatic SOD mRNA levels in a time and dose-dependent manner and decreased (p<0.05) serum glutamate-pyruvate transaminase and lactate dehydrogenase activities (indicators of tissue integrity). Zn-MT administration decreased (p<0.05) lactate concentration and increased (p<0.05) pH and water-holding capacity in the longissimus thorasis meat. Collectively, our results indicate that intramuscular administration of Zn-MT to pre-slaughter stressed pigs improved tissue anti-oxidative ability and meat quality.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.17 no.12
• /
• pp.407-414
• /
• 2016

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of supplementation of dietary betaine on nutrient digestibility and physiological responses in finishing pigs. A total of twelve pigs with a body weight of $80.1{\pm}3.7kg$ were individually caged, and randomly assigned to one of the two experimental diets containing 0 (control) or 5 g/kg (treatment) of the betaine in a $2{\times}2$ Latin square design. The experimental period was 14 days-7 days adaptation and 7 days trial period-per phase. All data for the difference between control and treatment groups were statistically analyzed by student's t-test. Dry matter and crude protein digestibility in the treatment group were significantly improved by 1% and 1.3%, respectively, as compared with those in the control (p<0.05). The apparent absorption of dietary energy was increased from 82.3% to 83.7% by dietary betaine supplementation. Thus, the retention of energy was also significantly increased to above 6% in the treatment group compared with the control group (control 4,057 vs treatment 4,314 kcal; p<0.01). The physiological parameters indicating serum biochemical contents and stress-, immune-, and inflammatory- responses were not changed by the supplementation of dietary betaine. In conclusion, dietary betaine improves the nutrient digestibility without any negative effects in terms of physiology in finishing pigs. It suggests that the supplementation of dietary betaine may increase the productivity through the improvement of weight gain and feeding efficiency.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.525-534
• /
• 2001

A total of 120 pigs were used to investigate the effects of yucca extracts on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, nutrient excretion and carcass characteristics of finishing pigs fed different levels of dietary protein. Pigs were allotted into $2{\times}3$ factorial design by the supplementation of yucca extracts (YE, 0 and 120 mg/kg) and 3 levels of dietary protein (14, 16, 18% for early finisher and 12, 14, 16% for late finisher for low, medium and high protein diet, respectively). During the early finishing period (51~76 kg BW), no significant difference was found in growth performance regardless of the YE supplementation or dietary protein levels. Growth performance of late finishing pigs (76~101 kg BW) was also not significantly different among treatments. However, ADG of pigs fed YE diet was significantly improved (p<0.05) regardless of the dietary protein levels. For the overall period (51~101 kg BW), although adding YE to the diet and elevating the protein level showed better ADG, there were no significant differences on growth performance among treatments. Early finishers showed significantly higher crude protein, crude ash and crude fat digestibilities when they were fed diets supplemented with YE. Digestibilities of amino acids were not affected by YE. Late finishers did not show any significant differences in proximate nutrient digestibilities regardless of YE supplementation or dietary protein levels. YE tended to slightly improve the CP digestibility, however no significant difference was found with increased dietary protein levels. There was no significant difference in amino acid digestibilities with YE supplementation or dietary CP levels during the late finishing period. Dry matter (DM) and nitrogen (N) excretion in feces did not show any significant difference among treatments. Early finishing pigs also did not respond to the inclusion of YE or dietary protein levels (p<0.05). Fecal N excretion of early finishing pigs seemed to be lowered in pigs fed YE. Pigs fed medium dietary protein diet tended to excrete a higher amount of N during the early finishing period, but not statistically different. A slight increase in fecal N excretion was found with the increased level of dietary protein during the late finishing period. For ammonia nitrogen excretion, although there was no significance, the NH3-N content tended to be increased by the increased dietary protein levels and with YE supplementation. The NH3-N content in manure increased by 24.5% with YE supplementation. There were no significant differences in carcass weight, backfat thickness, carcass grade and loin eye area among treatments. However, pigs fed non-YE with low protein diet showed a significantly (p<0.05) low carcass ratio among treatments and there was significant (p<0.05) difference between the YE-added treatment and non YE treatment in carcass ratio. As for the feed cost, the cost of feeding high level protein was higher than that of medium level protein by 5% and low level protein by 9% (p<0.05). Therefore, based on this study, it could be concluded that environmentally friendly agents might play a role to some extent in finishing pigs from the aspect of pollution control, and that more than 14 and 12% of dietary protein for early finishing and late finishing pigs respectively do not necessarily guarantee high growth performance.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.31 no.1
• /
• pp.32-39
• /
• 2018

Objective: In this study, we investigated the adverse effects of dietary zearalenone (ZEA) (0.5 to 1.5 mg/kg diet) on the localization and expression of the growth hormone receptor (GHR) in the uteri of post-weaning gilts and explored alternative mechanism of the reproductive toxicity of ZEA on piglets. Methods: A total of forty healthy piglets (Duroc${\times}$Landrace${\times}$Large White) aged 28 d were selected for study. Piglets were transferred to single cages after 10 days' adaptation on an obstetric table. The animals were allocated to one of four treatments: a normal basal diet supplemented with 0 (Control), 0.5 (ZEA0.5), 1.0 (ZEA1.0), or 1.5 (ZEA1.5) mg/kg purified ZEA, and fed for 35 d after the 10-d adaptation. Analyzed ZEA concentrations in the diets were 0, $0.52{\pm}0.07$, $1.04{\pm}0.03$, and $1.51{\pm}0.13mg/kg$, respectively. At the end of the feeding trial, piglets were euthanized after being fasted for 12 h. Two samples of uterine tissue from each pig were rapidly collected, one of which was stored at $-80^{\circ}C$ for analysis of the relative mRNA and protein expression of GHR, and the second was promptly fixed in Bouin's solution for immunohistochemical analysis. Results: The relative weight of the uteri and thickness of the myometrium and endometrium increased linearly (p<0.001) and quadratically (p<0.001) with an increasing level of ZEA. The results of immunohistochemical analysis indicated that GHR immunoreactive substance was mainly localizated in the cytoplasm of uterine smooth muscle, glandular epithelial, luminal epithelial, stromal, and vascular endothelial cells. In contrast, nuclear staining was rarely observed. The immunoreactive integrated optic density of GHR in the myometrium, luminal epithelium, glandular epithelium, and whole uteri of weaning gilts increased linearly (p<0.001) and quadratically (p<0.05) with an increasing level of ZEA. The mRNA and protein expression of GHR in the uteri of weaning gilts increased linearly (p<0.001) and quadratically (p<0.05) with an increasing level of ZEA. Conclusion: In conclusion, ZEA at a concentration of 0.5 mg/kg was sufficient to significantly thicken the myometrium and endometrium, and at a concentration of 1.0 mg/kg induced a high level of GHR expression to promote growth and development of the uteri. This revealed an alternative molecular mechanism whereby ZEA induces growth and development of the uteri and provides a theoretical basis for the revision of Chinese feed hygiene standards.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• v.47 no.4
• /
• pp.525-536
• /
• 2005

This study was carried out investigate the effect of replacing soybean meal with feather meal or Bacillus sp. inoculated feather meal in finisher pig diets on the performances, and amino acid composition and carcass characteristics of pork. One hundred fifty pigs were randomly allotted to five dietary treatments (① control, basal diet; ② BSM (bacillus sp. inoculated soybean meal) 10, 10% of soybean meal was replaced with bacillus sp. inoculated feather meal; ③ BSM 20, 20% of soybean meal was replaced with bacillus sp. inoculated feather meal; ④ CSM (conventional soybean meal) 10, 10% of soybean meal was replaced with conventional feather meal and ⑤ CSM 20, 20% of soybean meal was replaced with conventional feather meal) in a 70-days feeding trial. In overall period, body weight gain of BSM 20 (0.95kg) was higher (P<0.05) than those of CSM 10 (0.80kg) and CSM 20 (0.81kg), respectively. And feed conversion of BSM 20 (2.94) was lower (P<0.05) than that for other treatments (3.06-3.41). Carcass weight of BSM 10 (81.84kg) and BSM 20 (83.77kg) were greater (P<0.05) than those of CSM 10 (74.75kg) and CSM 20 (76.07kg), respectively. Proportion of grade A carcass in BSM 20 (35.03%) was higher compared to the control treatment (32.78%). CIE L* of meat color was lowest in the BSM 10 (45.56), and hightest (P<0.05) in the CSM 20 (59.96). In addition CIE a* of meat color of control (9.35) highest (P<0.05) than those of BSM 10 and BSM 20 were 7.56 and 7.42, respectively.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• v.50 no.4
• /
• pp.499-508
• /
• 2008

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of bio-starch from corn processing to replace dried whey in weaned pigs. A total of 120 crossbred [(Landrace×Yorkshire)×Duroc] pigs were weaned at 21 days of age weighing 6.01±0.34 kg in average. Five week feeding trial consisted of phase 1(0~2 wks) and phase 2(3~5 wks). Dietary treatments included 1) CON(basal diet), 2) BS5(whey 5%, partial substitution of bio-starch), 3) BS10(whey 10%, partial substitution of bio-starch) and 4) BS15(whey 15%, partial substitution of bio-starch). There were four dietary treatments with six replicate pens per treatment and five pigs per pen. During the overall period, there were no significant differences in the ADG(average daily gain) and gain/feed ratio among the treatments(P>0.05). However, the ADFI(average daily feed intake) was higher in BS5 and BS15 treatments than in CON treatment(P<0.05). At the 2nd week, dry matter and nitrogen digestibility were increased(quadratic effect, P=0.03 and P=0.01, respectively; cubic effect, P<0.001 and P=0.01, respectively) with the highest at 10% of bio-starch inclusion in the diets. At the last week of the experiment, dry matter, nitrogen and energy digestibility were increased(P<0.05) with the highest at 5% of bio-starch inclusion in the diets. At the 2nd week total protein concentration was increased(linear effect, P=0.04; cubic effect, P=0.01) with the highest at 10% of bio-starch inclusion in the diets. Also, BUN(blood urea nitrogen) was increased(linear effect, P=0.01) as the level of bio-starch inclusion increased in the diets. Fecal consistency score was inclined to lowers CON treatment than other treatments. In conclusion, the result of trial indicates that bio-starch can be included at the level of 5~10% of weaning pig diet replacing part of the dried-whey, and digestibilities were positively affected by bio-starch at growth stage.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
• /
• v.31 no.2
• /
• pp.296-303
• /
• 2011

This study was conducted to determine the effects of stevia (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni) and charcoal supplementation on meat quality traits in finishing pigs. A total of 420 pigs (LYD) were randomly allocated into seven treatments with three replications. The dietary treatments were T1 (control, basal diet), T2 (basal diet+0.3% stevia), T3 (basal diet+0.6% stevia), T4 (basal diet+0.3% charcoal), T5 (basal diet+0.6% charcoal), T6 (basal diet+0.3% stevia+0.3% charcoal), and T7 (basal diet+0.6% stevia+0.6% charcoal). Pigs were slaughtered conventionally on each marketing day and chilled overnigth. At 24 h postmortem, the Longissimus muscle from left side between the 6th and 14th rib was removed for the meat quality traits. The T6 group showed a higher pH, water holding capacity (p<0.05), and lower drip loss (p<0.05) than those in the T1 group. The T6 group showed lower (p<0.05) $L^*$ (lightness) and $b^*$ (yellowness) values and higher $a^*$ (redness) color value than those in the T1 group, resulting in a redder surface meat color. In the subjective evaluation, marbling and color scores improved in the T6 group compared to those in the other treatments. In the panel test, the T6 group tended to have higher tenderness and juiciness scores than those in the T1 group. In the storage characteristics, all treatments showed similar 2-thiobarbituric acid and volatile basic nitrogen values as well as total microbial counts during 7 d of cold storage. As a result, dietary supplementation with 0.3% stevia and 0.3% charcoal showed the highest meat quality traits and storage characteristics in finishing pigs.