Coated refined fish oil supplementation improves growth performance and meat quality in finishing pigs

Abstract

Fish oil is rich in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). However, uncoated fish oil is easily oxidized. Coating technique is a method for improving the stability and the availability of fish oil. This study investigated the effects of supplementing coated refined fish oil to the diet of finishing pigs on growth performance, apparent nutrient digestibility, fecal microbiota, fecal gas emission, meat quality, and carcass traits. A total of 160 crossbred finishing pigs [(Yorkshire × Landrace) × Duroc], with an initial body weight of 70.51 ± 0.56 kg, were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 dietary treatments according to the initial body weight. The experimental period was 42 days. There were 8 replicate pens per treatment and 5 pigs (three barrows and two gilts) per pen. Dietary treatments were based on a corn-soybean meal-basal diet (CON) supplemented with 0.00, 0.10, 0.25, or 0.50% coated refined fish oil. As a result, supplementing coated refined fish oil to the diet linearly increased (P < 0.05) final body weight (BW) and average daily gain (ADG), whereas linearly decreased (P < 0.05) feed conversion ratio (FCR) and the drip loss from meat on day 7 (P < 0.01) in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, finishing pigs fed with 0.50% coated refined fish oil containing diet had higher final BW (P = 0.018) and ADG (P = 0.029) than those fed the control diet. The FCR (P = 0.011) in pigs consuming 0.10 or 0.50% coated refined fish oil supplemented diet was lower than those consuming control diet. The drip loss on day 7 (P = 0.008) in pigs fed the diet supplemented with 0.25 or 0.50% coated refined fish oil was lower than those fed the control diet. In brief, based on the findings from the present study, the supplementation of 0.50% coated refined fish oil was suggested to be the optimum dose in enhancing growth performance and improving drip loss of meat quality in the finishing pigs.