Effects Of A Composite Plant Extract On Growth Performance And Meat Quality In Pigs

This study aimed to investigate the effects of a composite plant extract (Plant extract I) on growth performance and meat quality of pigs. In the one-factor experiment, a total of80crossbred piglets (DurocxLandrace xYorkshire, about20kg), the proportion of male and female consistent,were randomly assigned into five treatment groups, namely:1. APS group (based diet+200g/t APS);2. antibiotic group (20-35kg stage, based diet+300g/t1%nosiheptide+300g/t10%colistin sulphate;35-55kg stage, based diet+60g/t4%flavomycin+40g/t50%quinocetone;55-90kg stage, based diet+90g/t4%flavomycin);3. experimental group1(based diet+400g/t Plant extract I);4. experimental group2(based diet+600g/t Plant extract I);5. experimental group3(based diet+800g/t Plant extract I). Four replicates with four piglets per replicate. The test was divided into three phases(20-35kg BW、35-55kg BW and55-90kg BW), whole experimental phase was100days. After the end of the feeding trial, a slaughter trial of10pigs (5of each group) with the similar weight which were randomly selected from the antibiotic group and the medium-dose experimental group (experimental group2) was conducted to analyze the carcass quality and meat quality.All of the results were as follows:1. Effects of Plant extract I on growth performance of pigs The results showed that the growth performance of pig was improved by supplying Plant extract I, which was almost equal with the APS and the test antibiotic.(1) During20-35kg BW phase, the ADG of experimental group2and3were improved by1.57%and2.05%(P>0.05) compared with the APS group; During35-55kg BW phase, the ADG of experimental group1,2and3were improved by1.87%(P>0.05X5.37%(P<0.05) and11.24%(P<0.05) compared with the APS group; During55-90kg BW phase,the ADG of experimental group1and2were decreased by1.65%and0.59%(P>0.05) and the ADG of experimental group3was improved by6.70%(P<0.05) compared with the APS group. Compared with the antibiotic group, in the first stage, the ADG of experimental group1was decreased by0.16%(P>0.05) and the ADG of experimental group2and3were improved by1.42%and 1.89%(P>0.05); In the second stage, the ADG of experimental groupl,2and3were improved by6.39%.10.04%and16.17%(P<0.05)compared with the antibiotic group; In the last phase, the ADG of experimental group1,2and3were improved by5.02%、6.15%and13.93%(P<0.05) compared with the antibiotic group.(2) In each phase of the trial, Plant extract I had no significant effect on ADFI (P>0.05). But, ADFI of experimental group3was higher than the other groups, this told that the ADFI had a increased trend with higher level content of Plant extract I.(3) During every phases, addition of Plant extract I couldn’t affect significantly on F/G (P>0.05). In the first phase (20-35kg), F/G of experimental groupl was higher than that in the APS group and the antibiotic group, while the F/G of each experimental group were lower than the APS group and the antibiotic group; In the second phase (35-55kg) and the last phase (55-90kg), the F/G of each experimental group were lower than that in the APS group and the antibiotic group, and the F/G of experimental group3was the lowest in all groups.(4) Each treatment group can be effective in combating the diarrhea of pigs at20-35kg BW, the experimental group2、experimental group3were better than others, the diarrhea rates of them were decreased by6.77%.23.31%in contrast to the APS group, and decreased by18.42%.32.89%compared with the antibiotic group.2. Effects of Plant extract I on biochemical indicators of pig bloodThe results indicated that, at the first phase (20-35kg), in contrast to the APS group and the antibiotic group, the content of IgM, IgG, IL-2and IFN-y in serum of the experimental groupl、2and3tended to increase (P>0.05), and the effect of experimental group3was the best in all the groups. In the last phase (55-90kg), the levels of GSH-Px, SOD in serum of the medium-dose experimental group (experimental group2) were significantly higher than the antibiotic group (P<0.05), and the MDA level in serum of the experimental group2was significantly slower than the antibiotic group (P<0.05)3. Effects of Plant extract I on carcass traits and meat qualities of pigsIn this part, the results indicated that Plant extract I with medium-dose (experimental group2) had no significant effect on carcass traits and meat qualities (P>0.05). Compared with the antibiotic group, to the carcass characteristics, experimental group2can improve the Dressing percentage, Lean meat percentage, Backfat thickness and the Loin eye area (P>0.05); To the meat qualities, the System water rate, pH, Marbling and Meat color of experimental group2were also improved (P>0.05); and the diameter of muscle fiber of the experimental group2was smaller than the antibiotic group (P>0.05)Based on the results above, we knew that a certain amount of Plant extract I could reduce diarrhea rates of piglets, improve the growth, carcass traits and meat qualities of pigs, effect the blood biochemical quota, thus upgrade the immunity function of piglets, which can also improve the antioxidant properties of blood noticeably, it was almost equal with the test antibiotic. Thus, the Plant extracts I can be used as the substitute of some antibiotics in the pig production.