Effect of Lupine and Amaranth on Growth Efficiency, Health, and Carcass Characteristics and Meat Quality of Market Pigs

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to ascertain whether it is possible to substitute animal protein in a pig diet with lupine of Sonet cultivar or amaranth grain or dried surface biomass of amaranth when one type feed ration is used during the entire period of fattening, and to investigate its impact on growth efficiency and health of pigs. Its role in feed conversion, carcass characteristics, meat quality and sensory parameters was analyzed. Four groups of pigs (n = 10, 5 males and 5 females) with the body weight of 24 kg were fed semi-ad libitum for 90 days the following diets: control group (C) - diet containing 3% of fish meal, experimental group (1) - diet containing 5% of non-heat-treated amaranth grain and 5% of dried surface biomass of amaranth, experimental group (2) - diet containing 5% of popped (heattreated) amaranth grain and 5% of dried surface amaranth biomass, experimental group (3) - diet containing 10% of lupine seed meal. Animal protein substitution in diets with amaranth (group 1, 2) or lupine (3) did not result in significant differences (p > 0.05) in average daily body weight gain in comparison with the control group (C - 0.83 and 0.82, 0.80 and 0.79 kg in groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively). The differences in feed conversion were non-significant (2.69 to 2.79 kg/kg of body weight gain). The tested diets did not adversely affect animal metabolism, and significantly lower concentrations (p < 0.05, p < 0.01) of total protein, glucose and triacylglycerol in animals of group C ranged within physiological limits. No significant differences between control and experimental animals were found in carcass characteristics, meat and sensory qualities. Lupine supplementation of the diet positively affected the tenderness and taste of meat.