Increasing sustainability in pork production by using high inclusion levels of co-products distillers dried grains with solubles, wheat middling and canola meal doesn't affect pig growth performance and meat quality but reduces boar taint

Objective: The present study is to examine the effect of high inclusion of co-products in pig diets (referred to as an alternative diet) during the finishing stage on pig growth performance, meat quality and boar taint compounds. Methods: Growing pigs were fed an alternative diet made with distillers dried grains with solubles (25%), canola meal (20%), and wheat middling (15%) or a control diet based on barley and soybean meal to investigate the impact of co-products on pig performance and meat quality. Sixteen female and sixteen entire male Durocx(Large WhitexLandrace) pigs (22.6 & PLUSMN;2.07 kg, body weight & PLUSMN;standard error) were equally allocated to the diets. Results: Pigs fed the alternative diet had a lower feed intake; however, growth rate and feed conversion efficiency were unaffected by diet. A diet by sex interaction was found for gain:feed whereby males fed the alternative diet had the best feed conversion (p<0.01). Pork from pigs fed the alternative diet had lower a* and Chroma and protein % (p<0.05), while other meat quality characteristics were unaffected. The alternative diet reduced backfat skatole levels (p<0.001). Conclusion: A diet containing high inclusion levels of co-products can be fed to pigs during the finishing stage without detrimental effects on pig performance or meat quality and with the potential to enhance pork flavour. This finding suggests a solution to increase the sustainable development of pig production.

Automated summary

The study examined the impact of high inclusion of co-products in pig diets during the finishing stage on pig growth performance, meat quality, and boar taint compounds. Pigs fed the alternative diet showed lower feed intake, but growth rate and feed conversion efficiency were unaffected. Pork from pigs fed the alternative diet had lower a* and Chroma values and protein content, but other meat quality characteristics were unaffected. The alternative diet also reduced backfat skatole levels. This finding suggests that high inclusion of co-products in pig diets can be beneficial for pig production.