Substitution of ractopamine by safflower or coconut oil as an additive in finishing pig diets

Janete Gouveia de Souza,Emerson Moreira Aguiar,Adriana Margarida Zambotto Ramalho,Myllena Emelly de Paiva Carmo,José Aparecido Moreira,Clara Viviane Silva da Costa,Elisanie Neiva Magalhães Teixeira,Natália Rocha Silva,Andreza Lourenço Marinho

doi:10.1590/0103-8478cr20190504

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to explore the substitution of ractopamine by coconut or safflower oil in finishing pig diets. The study included 24 crossbred barrows weighing 78.00 ± 8.76 kg distributed in a randomized block design with four treatments and six replicates composed of: basal ration (BR), BR + 10 ppm ractopamine, BR + four 1 g capsules of safflower oil, and BR + four 1 g capsules of coconut oil. Performance evaluation showed that safflower oil, ractopamine, and coconut oil supplementation had a significant effect (P < 0.05) on weight gain and feed conversion. Carcass-related variables were also affected by the treatments (P < 0.05), with fat thickness 3 (FT3) reduced by the use of safflower oil, ractopamine, and coconut oil. Rib eye area was positively affected (P < 0.05) by diet, with ractopamine, coconut oil, and safflower oil supplementation treatments showing higher values than control diet treatment. The diets also affected fatty acid profiles (P < 0.05), with decreased myristic acid content in animals supplemented with ractopamine and safflower oil and increased deposition of palmitoleic and oleic acids in animals supplemented with coconut oil and safflower oil, respectively. Results suggested that both safflower oil and coconut oil can be used as substitutes for ractopamine.

Highlights

In recent years, Brazil has been consolidated as one of the major global suppliers of animal protein, including beef, pork, or poultry; it is the world’s largest exporter of beef and chicken and ranks fourth in pork production and exports, according to the Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA, 2018).Approximately 81.5% of the pork produced in Brazil is intended for the domestic market, and the surplus is exported to countries such as Singapore, Hong Kong, China, and Russia, Approved 02.21.20 Returned CR-2019-0504.R3 by the author 03.31.2C0 iênciaRural, v.50, n.6, representing approximately 18.5% of world exports (ABPA, 2018)
The basal diet was formulated with corn, soybean meal, vegetable oil, and commercial premix for finishing pigs, with treatments consisting of basal ration (BR),BR + 10 ppm ractopamine, BR + four 1 g capsules of safflower oil, and BR + four 1 g capsules of coconut oil, as presented in table 1
Animals that consumed a diet supplemented with ractopamine showed the highest values for daily weight gain, which did not differ from those shown by the animals supplemented with coconut oil

Summary

Introduction

Brazil has been consolidated as one of the major global suppliers of animal protein, including beef, pork, or poultry; it is the world’s largest exporter of beef and chicken and ranks fourth in pork production and exports, according to the Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA, 2018).Approximately 81.5% of the pork produced in Brazil is intended for the domestic market, and the surplus is exported to countries such as Singapore, Hong Kong, China, and Russia, Approved 02.21.20 Returned CR-2019-0504.R3 by the author 03.31.2C0 iênciaRural, v.50, n.6, representing approximately 18.5% of world exports (ABPA, 2018). Brazil has been consolidated as one of the major global suppliers of animal protein, including beef, pork, or poultry; it is the world’s largest exporter of beef and chicken and ranks fourth in pork production and exports, according to the Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA, 2018). 81.5% of the pork produced in Brazil is intended for the domestic market, and the surplus is exported to countries such as Singapore, Hong Kong, China, and Russia, Approved 02.21.20 Returned CR-2019-0504.R3 by the author 03.31.2C0 iência. Important trading partners such as China and Russia have restricted the purchase of animals fed with ractopamine. Ractopamine is used in more than 20 countries such as the USA, Canada, Australia, and almost all of Latin America (FERREIRA et al, 2011) to decrease the rate of lipid deposition and increase the amount of lean meat in carcasses, two characteristics expected by the consumer market. Many articles in the literature suggested that coconut and safflower oils are efficientin reducing body fat in humans and Wistar rats (ASSUNÇÃO et al, 2009; LIAU et al, 2011; CAMPANELLA et al, 2014)

Objectives

Methods

Results