Use of dried fruit and vegetable pomaces in pig diets

Attention has been paid to the presence of biologically active substances in feed mixture for animals by including different vegetable ingredients, based on their antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antioxidant and immunostimulant properties. The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of dietary supplementation with dried apple, chokeberry, black currant, strawberry and carrot pomaces on production parameters and meat quality in fattening pigs. Sixty randomly selected barrows, from litters of similar weight and age, were divided randomly into 6 groups (10 animals each) with different dried pomace in each group (dried apple, chokeberry, black currant, strawberry and carrot). Fattening was carried out in individual pens, equipped with individual feeders and nipple water dispensers up to 107 ± 1.8 kg of body weight. During fattening, there were determined the fattening period, the body weight, daily weight gain, feed intake and FCR. Carcass parameters and meat quality were evaluated.

The use of dried pomaces of chokeberry showed tendencies for increased feed intake and reduced fattening period. The dried pomaces of carrot positively influenced backfat thickness, however other slaughter parameters remained unchanged. Importantly, fatty acid composition in LL muscle was improved in strawberry and apple groups, especially in relationship with some n-3 PUFAs, and in both groups cholesterol level was also reduced. On the other hand, the most beneficial oxidative status and vitamin E content in meat were obtained with the use of dried pomace of black currant. No effect was observed on physiochemical, technological and sensory characteristics of meat, with the exception of meat flavour and colour due to de different experimental treatments used. Therefore, the used dried pomaces improved several parameters related to meat quality, what might positively influence consumers' health.

Pieszka, M., Szczurek, P., Bederska-Łojewska, D., Migdał, W., Pieszka, M., Gogol, P., & Jagusiak, W. (2017). The effect of dietary supplementation with dried fruit and vegetable pomaces on production parameters and meat quality in fattening pigs. Meat Science, 126, 1-10. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2016.11.016