Abstract
The objective of this study was to investigate physicochemical characteristics and collagen solubility of pigs fed with dietary ractopamine (RAC) during finishing period. Thirty of three-way crossbred pigs (Large White × Landrace × Duroc) with an initial bodyweight (BW) of 18.0 ± 0.5 kg were randomly assigned to one to three dietary RAC inclusions (0, 20, or 40 mg/kg) fed during finishing period (60-100 kg BW). Each group consisted of five gilts and five barrows. After 109 day of raising period, all pigs were slaughtered at the average weight of 100 kg. Longissimus dorsi muscle (LD) was taken from each carcass after overnight chill and analyzed for physical characteristics, chemical composition, and collagen solubility. The LD from pigs fed 40 mg/kg of RAC had lower a* value (p < 0.01) than others. Pigs fed with 40 mg/kg of RAC had higher Warner-Bratzler shear force (p < 0.05) than pigs fed without RAC. Pigs fed with dietary RAC had lower glycogen content than control (p < 0.01). While other chemical compositions and collagen solubility of LD were not affected by dietary RAC (p > 0.05). Gilts had larger muscle fibers (p < 0.01), lower glycogen content (p < 0.05), higher content of insoluble collagen (p < 0.05), total collagen (p = 0.054), and collagen solubility (p = 0.054) than barrows.
Highlights
Using ractopamine as growth-promoting in pig industry, it is approved that the feed efficiency and carcass quality have been improved while it has affected meat quality
The Longissimus dorsi muscle (LD) muscles from pigs fed with 0 and 20 mg/kg of RAC had higher a* value than pigs fed with 40 mg/kg of RAC (p < 0.01) while L* and b* values were not affected by dietary RAC (p > 0.05)
The LD muscles of pigs fed with 0 and 20 mg/kg RAC had higher a* value than pigs fed with 40 mg/kg of RAC while L* and b* values were not affected by dietary RAC in the present study
Summary
Using ractopamine as growth-promoting in pig industry, it is approved that the feed efficiency and carcass quality have been improved while it has affected meat quality. Such as the studies of [1] showed that RAC increased carcass lean content and acted directly to nutrients from fat deposition toward protein deposition in finishing pigs. The study of [3] and [2] reported that dietary RAC supplemented increased toughness of pork. The study of [5] reported that RAC supplemented at 10 mg/kg in pig diet had negatively impacted on tenderness
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