The use of synthetic and natural vitamin D sources in pig diets to improve meat quality and vitamin D content

This study investigated the effects of synthetic and natural sources of vitamin D biofortification in pig diets on pork vitamin D activity and pork quality. One hundred and twenty pigs (60 male, 60 female) were assigned to one of four dietary treatments for a 55 d feeding period. The dietary treatments were (1)50 mu g vitamin D-3/kg of feed; (2)50 mu g of 25-hydroxvitamin D-3/kg of feed (25-OH-D-3); (3)50 mu g vitamin D-2/kg of feed; (4)50 mu g vitamin D-2-enriched mushrooms/kg of feed (Mushroom D-2). The pigs offered the 25-OH-D-3 diet exhibited the highest (P < 0.001) serum total 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration and subsequently exhibited the highest (P < 0.05) Longissitnus thoracis (LT) total vitamin D activity. Mushroom D-2 and 25-0H-D-3 supplementation increased pork antioxidant status. The vitamin D-2-enriched mushrooms improved (P < 0.05) pig performance, carcass weight and LT colour. In conclusion, 25-OH-D-3 is the most successful source for increasing pork vitamin D activity, while Mushroom D-2 may be a new avenue to improve animal performance and pork quality.