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

Abstract

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 p p = 0.07). Carcass weight increased (p p 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.

Keywords

• plant extracts
• pork
• heat stress
• carcass characteristics
• meat quality