This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of supplementation of sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate as fat emulsifier in low-density diet on the growth performance and meat quality of finishing pigs. A total of 84 mixed-sex finishing pigs [(Landrace × Yorkshire) × Duroc] at 112 d of age with an average body weight (BW) of 60 ± 0.75 kg (two gilts and two barrows per pen; seven pens per treatment) were used in a 56 d experiment. Pigs were randomly allotted to one of three treatments based on BW and stratified based on sex. The following three treatments were used (1) control basal diet (T1), (2) low-energy diet (T2), and (3) T2 + 0.1% sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate emulsifier (T3). The supplementation of sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate as fat emulsifier in energy-reduced diet did not have significant effects on growth performance compared with energy-reduced diet without emulsifier, although it slightly increased final BW by 1.45%, average daily gain by 3.3%, gain to feed ratio by 3.77%, and reduced average daily feed intake by 0.64%. The supplementation of emulsifier in energy-reduced diet did not have any adverse effect (P > 0.05) on meat quality attributes, as well as backfat thickness and lean muscle percentage (LMP), compared with energy-reduced diet without emulsifier or basal diet. In conclusion, the supplementation of emulsifier at 0.1% level in low-energy diet did not have significant effects on growth performance, backfat thickness, LMP, and meat quality attributes in finishing pigs.
Relationships of the Slaughter Weight to Growth Performance and Meat Quality Traits in Finishing Pigs Fed A Low-energy Diet
