Abstract
The study was conducted to assess the effect of black pepper (BP) supplementation on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, fecal microbial, fecal gas emission, and meat quality of finishing pigs. A total of 180 crossbred [(Landrace × Yorkshire) × Duroc] finishing pigs with average initial body weight (BW) of 53.72 ± 1.42 kg were used in 10-week trial and allotted to 6 dietary treatments (6 replications pens/treatment with 5 pigs per pen). The dietary treatments were: CON (basal diet), TRT1- CON + 0.025% BP, TRT2- CON + 0.05% BP, TRT3- CON + 0.1% BP, TRT4- CON + 0.2% BP, TRT5- CON + 0.4% BP. A linear increase (P = 0.0380, 0.0061) in body weight gain (BWG) and average daily gain (ADG) were observed respectively, during the overall trial in pigs fed BP supplemented diet compared to control. The dietary supplementation of BP showed a linear increase (P=0.0065) in gain and feed ratio (G: F) at week 10. However, there were no significant results observed on average daily feed intake (ADFI) during the overall experiment. The total tract digestibility of dry matter (DM) was linearly improved (P=0.0531) in BP treatment groups compared to control. In addition, BP diet supplementation had linearly increased fecal Lactobacillus counts (P=0.0482) and decreased E. coli counts (P=0.0306) in pigs at week 10. Furthermore, NH3, methyl mercaptans, and acetic acid was linearly decreased (P=0.0227, 0.0555,0.0541) in pigs fed BP supplementation compare to control. The inclusion of BP supplementation in pigs diet had linearly increased (P=0.0146) the backfat thickness at week 10. Thus, we concluded that BP supplementation had positively enhanced the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, fecal microbial, fecal gas emission, and meat quality of finishing pigs.
Effects of different dietary energy and protein levels and sex on growth performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality of F1 Angus × Chinese Xiangxi yellow cattle
