Influence of ferulic acid and clinoptilolite supplementation on growth performance, carcass, meat quality, and fatty acid profile of finished lambs.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of ferulic acid (FA) and clinoptilolite (CTL) supplementation on the growth performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality of hair-breed lambs. Twenty-eight Kathadin male lambs (33.72 ± 3.4 kg) were randomly allocated to one of the four diets (n=7) under a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement to evaluate the effect of FA (0 or 300 ppm) and CTL (0% or 1%) during the last 40 days of the finishing phase. No interaction between additives was shown for growth performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality, with exception of the fatty acid profile (p < 0.05). FA reduced feed intake and carcass conformation (p < 0.05). Wholesale cuts were not affected by FA or CTL (p > 0.05). The L*, a*, and C* color parameters and some intramuscular fatty acids of the longissimus thoracis muscle were positively modified by CTL supplementation (p < 0.05). While there was no FA × CTL interaction, each additive could be used individually in animal nutrition to improve the feedlot performance and meat quality of the lambs.

Effects of dietary ferulic acid on growth performance, carcass traits and meat quality of heifers.

BACKGROUND: Ferulic acid is a natural occurring compound with antioxidant and antimicrobial bioactive properties, and recently was proposed as a new alternative growth promoter in meat-producing animals without changing meat quality parameters. The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of two doses of ferulic acid (FA) on the feedlot performance, carcass traits, and physicochemical and sensory characteristics of meat quality in commercial heifers. Ninety heifers (3/4 Bos taurus; n = 270; body weight = 480 ± 10 kg) were randomly assigned to one of the following treatments (30 days): Control, fed with a basal diet; FA250 or FA500 offered the same diet further supplemented with FA at 250 or 500 mg kg-1 feed, respectively. Feedlot performance, carcass traits, and physicochemical and meat sensory characteristics were evaluated. RESULTS: FA supplementation increased average daily gain (ADG) by 21%, hot carcass weight by 1.8% and cold carcass weight by 1.6% with respect to the control (P < 0.05). FA500 treatment caused a decrease (P < 0.05) in some carcass traits. However, carcass characteristics of economic importance, such as cold carcass dressing and LT muscle area, were improved by FA250 supplementation (P < 0.05), causing a possible growth promoter effect. Physicochemical and sensory parameters of meat were not altered by FA supplementation (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Ferulic acid has the potential for use as a growth promoter additive in finishing heifers without negatively affecting the meat quality, as occurs with some synthetic growth promotants compounds used in animal production. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Addition of a Mixture of Plant Extracts to Diets for Growing-Finishing Pigs on Growth Performance, Blood Metabolites, Carcass Traits, Organ Weight as a Percentage of Live Weight, Quality and Sensorial Analysis of Meat.

The effect of plant extracts (PE; artichoke, celery, beet, onion, garlic, spinach, avocado, oats, and parsley) in the diet of growing pigs under heat stress was investigated. Parameters included growth performance, blood constituents, carcass characteristics, organ percentage, quality and sensory appraisal of the pork. The study was performed during the Mexican summer, using 60 pigs. Treatments included the control, to which 0.1% PE, and 0.15% PE were added. The use of PE (0.1 and 0.15%) generated an increase in the average daily gain (ADG, by 10.0% for both treatments), and final live weight (LW, by 6.3% and 6.8%) (p < 0.05). The level of blood albumin at 95 kg was higher when supplementing with 0.1% PE (p < 0.05). At 120 kg LW, creatine kinase values showed a tendency to be different (p = 0.07). Carcass weight increased (p < 0.05) when adding PE. Supplementation with 0.1% PE decreased (p < 0.05) the red/green (a *) hue of the meat, whereas supplementation with 0.1% and 0.15% PE increased the yellow/blue (b *) hue (p < 0.05). The addition of PE improves pig growth performance, and carcass weight by reducing the negative effects of heat stress, without markedly modifying blood constituents, meat quality, and sensory attributes of the pork.

Quality evaluation of low fat bologna-type meat product with a nutritional profile designed for the elderly.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the quality of a bologna-type meat product designed for the elderly. Treatments were: control, without addition of cranberries (C), prunes (P), pecan nuts (N) or flaxseed (F); NP, with 5% N+5% P; FC, with 5% F+5% C; NC, with 5% N+5% C; FP, with 5% F+5% P. These formulations resulted in a product with high protein, low SFA and high antioxidant activity. Treatments with pecan nuts had higher MUFA while those with flaxseed had higher polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). Treatments with pecan nuts and flaxseed had higher PUFA/SFA ratios, but only those with flaxseed had very low n6/n3 ratios when compared to the control. Although treatments showed acceptable scores (>5.4), they were lower than the control. A combination of these non-traditional ingredients could be used to develop a meat product for older adults to provide a better nutritional profile with acceptable sensory properties.