ABSTRACT
This study investigated the effects of citrus extract on growth, carcass and meat quality of Duroc × Landrace × Large White pigs. One hundred and eight pigs (54 barrows, 54 females) were assigned to one of three dietary treatments for 138 days. The dietary treatments were (1) basic diet; (2) basic diet supplemented with 75 mg/kg chlortetracycline; and (3) basic diet supplemented with citrus extract (0.25 ml/kg during 56-112 days of age and 0.20 ml/kg during 113-194 days of age). No significant differences among treatments were found for growth performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality and free amino acids (p > 0.05). Feeding citrus extract tended to increase intramuscular fat (p = 0.052). Citrus extract and chlortetracycline increased C15:0 concentration (p = 0.016) and superoxide dismutase activity (p = 0.004). The pigs that received chlortetracycline exhibited the lowest (p = 0.033) muscle malondialdehyde concentration. Overall, citrus extract ameliorated some meat quality indicators without adverse effects on pig growth or carcass performance.
