Effect of dietary amylose/amylopectin ratio on growth performance, carcass traits, and meat quality in finishing pigs

Abstract

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary amylose/amylopectin ratio (DAR) on body health and meat quality in finishing pigs. A total of forty-eight DLY pigs (initial body weight of 74.9±5.0kg) were randomly allotted to two treatments, and fed either with LR (DAR: 12/88) or HR (DAR: 30/70) diet. Results showed that ingestion of a HR diet not only decreased the triacylglycerol and cholesterol concentrations in plasma (P<0.05), but also reduced the lipid contents in liver (P<0.05). Interestingly, ingestion of a HR diet tended to reduce the intramuscular fat content (P=0.06), and significantly increased the firmness (P<0.05) and loin-eye area (P<0.01). Moreover, ingestion of a HR diet significantly decreased the levels of MyHC I (P<0.05), and elevated the levels of MyHCIIb (P<0.05) gene expression in longissimus dorsi. Ingestion of a HR diet has resulted in down-regulation of the FAS3 gene in liver and longissimus dorsi (P<0.05). These findings suggested that a HR diet is helpful to reduce the lipogenesis both in liver and muscle.

Keywords: Amylose/amylopectin ratio; Lipid metabolism; Meat quality.