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Industry Partners
Prairie Swine Centre is an affiliate of the University of Saskatchewan
Prairie Swine Centre is grateful for the assistance of the George Morris Centre in developing the economics portion of Pork Insight.
Financial support for the Enterprise Model Project and Pork Insight has been provided by:
Positively impacting the carcass by adding fat to the diet
Posted in: Meat Quality, Nutrition, Pork Insight Articles by admin on July 7, 2017
Fats and oils have traditionally been used to increase dietary energy levels for the early weaner phase and for pigs raised in warm climates. Adding fat/oil to the diet can improve feed to gain, reduce manure output and also reduce dust levels in the barn. The correlation between saturated fat intake and coronary heart disease in humans has also prompted inclusion of polyunsaturates into pig diets to increase levels of ‘healthy’ fatty acids in pork. Enhancing pork’s fatty acid profile also has potential for value-added marketing and improving pork’s market share. The benefits of feeding high polyunsaturate levels have, however, been counterbalanced by problems with soft carcass fat, oxidative instability and in the barn, high fat/oil diets can bridge and block feeders.
The effects of CLA have often been contrary to expectations. Generally fats/oils are expected to increase carcass fat, and polyunsaturates should generate soft fat, and a reduced backfat level shouldn’t be coupled with increased marbling fat. Work thus far demonstrates that individual fatty acids have the potential to effect carcass composition and pork quality differently and continued research in this area may prove quite valuable as trends towards branded products and paying premiums for lean content and quality continue.
Positively impacting the carcass by adding fat to the diet.