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Effects of a DHA ‐rich unextracted microalgae as a dietary supplement on performance, carcass traits and meat fatty acid profile in growing‐finishing pigs
Author(s) -
Moran C. A.,
Morlacchini M.,
Keegan J. D.,
Delles R.,
Fusconi G.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of animal physiology and animal nutrition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.651
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1439-0396
pISSN - 0931-2439
DOI - 10.1111/jpn.12911
Subject(s) - docosahexaenoic acid , biology , zoology , fatty acid , food science , polyunsaturated fatty acid , eicosapentaenoic acid , adipose tissue , biochemistry
Summary Two 125‐day experiments of the same design were conducted to evaluate the effects of a heterotrophically grown microalgae ( AURA ) containing docosahexaenoic acid ( DHA ) on pig performance, carcass traits and the fatty acid composition of lean and adipose tissue. In each experiment, 144 Hypor pigs were blocked by sex, allocated to three treatment groups, and fed 0, 0.25% or 0.50% AURA in isonutritive, isocaloric diets. Pigs were weighed on days 0, 28, 56, 84 and 112. Feed and water intakes were measured every 28 days. Pigs were slaughtered on day 125. Data from the two studies were analysed as a single data set. Performance and carcass traits did not differ between treatments. Both microalgae treatment levels enriched ( p < .05) Longissimus lumborum ( LL ) and backfat in DHA and improved ( p < .05) their ratios of n‐6 to n‐3 fatty acids.