Effects of adding bile acids to dietary storage japonica brown rice on growth performance, meat quality, and intestinal microbiota of growing-finishing Min pigs.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: This study investigated the effects of storage japonica brown rice (SJBR) and bile acids (BA) on the growth performance, meat quality, and intestinal microbiota of growing-finishing Min pigs. METHODS: A total of 24 healthy Min pigs with a similar body weight of 42.25 &#xb1; 2.13 kg were randomly divided into three groups with eight replicates of one pig each. The groups were as follows: CON (50% corn), SJBR (25% corn +25% SJBR), and SJBR + BA (25% corn +25% SJBR +0.025% hyodeoxycholic acid). The experimental period lasted from day 90 (the end of the nursery phase) to day 210 (the end of the finishing phase). RESULTS: The results showed the following: (1) Compared with the CON group, there was no significant difference in the average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) of the SJBR and SJBR + BA groups, and the feed conversion ratio (FCR) was significantly decreased (< 0.05). (2) Compared with the CON group, the total protein (TP) content in the serum was significantly increased, and the blood urea nitrogen (BUN) content was significantly decreased (< 0.05) in the SJBR and SJBR + BA groups; moreover, HDL-C was significantly higher by 35% (< 0.05) in the SJBR + BA group. (3) There were no significant differences in carcass weight, carcass length, pH, drip loss, cooking loss, and shear force among the groups; the eye muscle area was significantly increased in the SJBR group compared with the CON group (< 0.05); back fat thickness was significantly decreased in the SJBR + BA group compared with the SJBR group (< 0.05); and the addition of SJBR significantly increased the mRNA expression of MyHC I in the(LD) muscle of growing-finishing Min pigs (< 0.05). (4) The cecal bacteria were detected using 16S rDNA, and the proportion ofwas increased gradually at the genus level, but there was no significant difference among the different groups. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, 25% SJBR can improve the growth performance and increase the abundance of intestinal beneficial bacteria, and based on this, adding bile acids can reduce the back fat thickness of growing-finishing Min pigs.