Carcass and meat quality characteristics and fatty acid composition of tissues from Pietrain-crossed barrows and gilts fed an elevated monounsaturated fat diet

Posted in: Meat Quality by admin on July 30, 2010 | No Comments

Fifty-one (Landrace*Large White)*Pietrain barrows and gilts were used to compare the effect of a diet rich in oleic acid (HO) by feeding a by-product of the olive industry (Greedy-Grass OLIVA_: 1.4% growing, 3.8% finishing) or a grain and soy diet (CONTROL) on carcass characteristics, meat quality and fatty acid profile of intramuscular and subcutaneous fat. Gilts had leaner (P < 0.05) carcasses with lower fat percentage in major primal cuts, and less (P < 0.05) saturated fat compared with barrows with no interaction (P > 0.05) between dietary treatment and gender. Source of dietary fat had no effect (P > 0.05) on primal cut yields, composition of major primal cuts, or carcass and meat quality characteristics. Intramuscular fat from HO fed pigs had higher (P < 0.05) percentage of saturated (SFA) and monounsaturated (MUFA) fatty acids, and lower (P < 0.05) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and n-6:n-3 ratio compared with CONTROL animals (37.4% vs. 36.8%, 44.7% vs. 40.1%, 17.9% vs. 23.2%, and 18.9 vs. 21.8 ratio, respectively). Subcutaneous fat from pigs fed HO had greater (P < 0.05) MUFA percentage, lower (P < 0.05) SFA and PUFA percentage, and lower (P < 0.05) n-6:n-3 ratio than pigs fed CONTROL diet (51.4% vs. 48.0%, 30.5% vs. 32.9%, 18.1% vs. 20.1%, and 9.83 vs. 11.3 ratio, respectively). Intramuscular fat had higher proportion of SFA and lower of MUFA showing a higher degree of tissue saturation compared with subcutaneous fat. Feeding Greedy-Grass increased MUFA and decreased PUFA proportions in fat depots reducing the risk of production of carcasses that are soft and oily which result in lower technological and processing quality

For more information the full article can be found at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/03091740

Airborne porcine circovirus in Canadian swine confinement buildings

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Porcine circovirus type 2 has been linked to many diseases, such as postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome and can be found in most commercial swine confinement buildings around the world. Although the exact role of the virus in the appearance of disease in animals is not fully understood, the mechanisms responsible for the transmission of the virus are currently believed to happen mostly by contact. Nevertheless, the possibility of airborne transmission cannot be rejected. This study investigated the presence of the virus, total bacteria and total dusts in aerosols. Air samples were taken with gelatin filters in swine confinement buildings and were analyzed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Interestingly, concentrations of airborne PCV2 of up to 107 genomes per cubic meter of air were detected. Airborne dust concentrations were correlated to airborne concentrations of PCV2 and total bacteria. Although the infectivity potential of the airborne viral loads were not evaluated, it is clear that the virus can become airborne in detectable concentrations in commercial swine confinement building environments. The significance of this finding in an epidemiological point of view will need further investigation.

For more information the full article can be found at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/03781135

Role of nutrition and intestinal adaptation in weanling pig health

Posted in: Production by admin on July 5, 2010 | No Comments

The growth rate of the pig is most rapid during the neonatal and weaning periods. Nutrition and gastrointestinal function play a critical role in the survival, health and growth of the young pig during this transition from suckling to weaning. The high metabolic rate and cellular turnover of gut tissues result in substantial fi rst-pass utilization of dietary nutrients, especially amino acids, to maintain gut function. The changes in the diet composition and gut microbiota after weaning are associated with increased gut growth and metabolism, which may limit the systemic availability of dietary nutrients. Strategies aimed at optimizing gut metabolism and supplementing key gut-nutrients in support of gut function may improve growth.

Animal welfare and the veterinary profession: 50 years of change

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About 10 years ago I received an unexpected telephone call. It was from the Burger King Corporation to say that the company wanted to create a program to assure their customers about the welfare of the animals in their supply chain, and would I serve on the advisory committee. I admit to having been a trifl e skeptical. Fast food restaurants as agents of social change? – it did not quite fi t the popular stereotype. But I joined the committee and was pleasantly surprised to fi nd myself in discussions about maintaining public trust and ‘doing the right thing’ for animals. To cut a long story short, Burger King’s engagement in animal welfare led to some tangible changes. In fact Temple Grandin 2000), after years of inspecting slaughter plants with mediocre animal welfare standards, reported a dramatic improvement immediately after chain restaurants became involved.

The Effect of Different Feed Ingredients on Fermentation Metabolites and Nitrogen Excretion in Pigs

Posted in: Prairie Swine Centre by admin on July 4, 2010 | No Comments

There is growing interest for including dietary fibre (DF) in pig diets due to its potential health benefits and possible contribution to a reduction of nitrogen (N) excretion from the swine production facility. Different ingredients could be used as the source of DF in swine diets. An experiment was conducted to evaluate the influence of different DF sources with varying indigestible protein (iCP) on bacterial fermentation and associated metabolites (short-chain fatty acids, SCFA) production, and N excretion when used in swine diets. The sources of DF and its iCP content had a major effect on accumulation of ammonia in the colon and N excretion. Peas and pea-fibre based diets decreased N excretion and enhanced bacterial fermentation and SCFA production in the intestine of pigs. Thus, peas and pea-fibres could be considered for swine nutrition, in order to reduce N excretion and potentially improve gut health of pigs, compared to other ingredients studied.

In vitro fibre fermentation characteristics of specialty ingredients with varying non-starch polysaccharides levels

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The objective of this study was to evaluate the fermentation characteristics of some non-conventional feed ingredients with varying fermentable fibre and their possible influence on intestinal environment and nitrogen excretion, in the intestines of pigs, using an in vitro technique. We concluded that fibre fermentation characteristics in the pig gastrointestinal tract are extremely variable from one ingredient to another. Of the feed ingredients evaluated, peas and pea fibres had higher fermentability and bacterial protein synthesis capacity,

Effect of an NSP-hydrolysing enzyme (Rovabio Excel®) in the diet of lactating sows on feed intake, body condition and litter performance and in vivo and in vitro nutrient digestibility.

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A non-starch polysaccharide (NSP)-hydrolyzing enzyme (Rovabio Excel®, Adisseo), was added to barley- and wheat-based diets and fed to lactating sows to determine if there would be an improvement in sow and piglet performance and feed digestibility. An in vitro experiment was also performed to assess how the enzyme would influence fermentation of dietary fibre in the pig’s large intestine. Although the enzyme improved nutrient digestibility and the energy content of the diet, there was no effect on sow or piglet performance.

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Enriching pork products with omega-3 fatty acids may affect pork quality

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Carcasses from growing swine swine (n-96) fed diets containing either 0, 5 or 10 % flaxseed for 76 days were graded and the pork was subjected to a sensory evaluation by a trained taste panel.  Feeding flaxseed enriched the omega-3 content of the high fat pork (for example ground pork with 20% added fat) sufficiently to allow a labelling-claim in Canada, however, panellists detected evidence of off-flavours and rancidity in these products.  Increasing dietary flaxseed resulted in higher lean yield and reduced belly firmness and fat hardness. 

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The effect on growing pig performance of changes in energy intake achieved through restriction of feed intake versus changes in dietary energy concentration

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The pig’s energy intake can be manipulated through restriction of its feed intake or by altering the energy density of its diet. The former approach is commonly taken in a research setting while the latter is generally the more common approach in commercial pork production. Restriction of the growing pig’s feed intake results in decreases in energy intake and in average daily gain. Some authors report analogous findings when dietary energy concentration is manipulated while others report that changing dietary energy concentration does not affect energy intake or growth performance. The objective of the present experiment was to compare the pig’s response to changes in energy intake brought about by either a change in feed intake or altering dietary energy concentration.

Impact of feeding diets containing extruded flaxseed meal and vitamin E in finishing swine

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Previously we have shown that pork from pigs fed high flaxseed containing can be subject to rancidity.  The objective of this experiment was to determine if added vitamin E could mitigate this problem.  A total of 96 growing pigs were fed one of 3 different diets for 11 weeks prior to slaughter.  The diets contained either 0 or 5 % flaxseed or 5% flaxseed plus 200 mg/kg vitamin E. As expected feeding flaxseed increased the omega-3 fatty acid content of the pork, especially high fat pork products.  This was accompanied by the detection of off-flavours such as rancidity.  The added vitamin E lessened these negative side-effects although this pork still did not score as high as that from animals fed no flaxseed.