Search Results (371)

The literature on pork quality perception is fragmented, particularly regarding the role of sensory and intrinsic attributes and consumer familiarity. This study addresses this gap by examining the importance of sensory attributes (juiciness, flavor, aroma, and tenderness) and an intrinsic attribute (pig breed—related to differences in color and fat content) in the overall quality assessment of pork loin. Additionally, it investigates how consumer familiarity with the pork loin category influences perceived quality. An experimental study was conducted with 130 Spanish consumers. The proposed hypotheses were tested using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) models and a latent class cluster analysis to explore both the impact of specific attributes on perceived quality and the segmentation of consumers based on familiarity. The findings indicate that flavor, tenderness, and juiciness are the key sensory attributes influencing the overall quality perception of pork loin. In contrast, Duroc pork loin is perceived as being of lower quality. The cluster analysis identified three distinct consumer segments based on their level of familiarity with the product. This study contributes new empirical evidence to the understanding of the perceived quality of pork loin, highlighting the significant role of specific sensory attributes and consumer familiarity. These insights can inform product development and marketing strategies tailored to different consumer profiles. Full article

The objective of this study was to assess the impacts of milk thistle seed (MTS) and Achyranthes japonica extract (AJE), both individually and in combination, on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, fecal score, fecal gas emissions, and cytokine responses in n = 120 crossbred [(Landrace Yorkshire) × Duroc] weaning piglets with an initial body weight of 6.53 ± 1.24 kg. Pigs were selected based on sex and randomly assigned to one of four dietary treatments for 6 weeks. The experimental diets were as follows: (1) CON—control/basal diet; (2) AJE (CON + 0.10% AJE); (3) MTS (CON + 0.10% MTS); and (4) CMB—combo feed (CON + 0.05% of AJE + 0.05% of MTS). Each treatment consisted of six replicates with five pigs (three ♀ and two barrows ♂) per pen. The incorporation of MTS has the potential to enhance (p < 0.05) the average daily gain in weaning pigs, particularly when used alone or in combination with AJE. But there were no significant effects or adverse effects observed on other growth parameters such as body weight, average daily feed intake, and gain-to-feed ratio. Also, there were no notable changes found in nutrient digestibility, fecal score, fecal gas emissions, or cytokine production. In summary, MTS and AJE, administered alone or in combination, reveal similar growth outcomes, suggesting that both additives could serve as potential options to improve animal performance without adverse effects. Full article

Artificial insemination (AI) is a key breeding technique in the swine industry; however, the lack of reliable biomarkers for semen quality limits its effectiveness. Seminal plasma (SP) contains extracellular vesicles (EVs) that present a promising, non-invasive biomarker for semen quality. This study explores the biochemical profiles of boar SP to assess semen quality through near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and proteomics of SP-EVs. Fresh semen from mature Duroc boars was evaluated based on sperm motility, classifying samples as Passed (≥70%) or Failed (<70%). NIRS analysis identified distinct variations in water structures at specific wavelengths (C1, C5, C12 nm), achieving high accuracy (92.2%), sensitivity (94.2%), and specificity (90.3%) through PCA-LDA. Proteomic analysis of SP-EVs revealed 218 proteins in Passed and 238 in Failed samples. Nexin-1 and seminal plasma protein pB1 were upregulated in Passed samples, while LGALS3BP was downregulated. The functional analysis highlighted pathways associated with single fertilization, filament organization, and glutathione metabolism in Passed samples. Integrating NIRS with SP-EV proteomics provides a robust approach to non-invasive assessment of semen quality. These findings suggest that SP-EVs could serve as effective biosensors for rapid semen quality assessment, enabling better boar semen selection and enhancing AI practices in swine breeding. Full article

Background/Objectives: This study investigated the effects of chestnut tannic acid (TA) on the growth performance, the expression of tight junction proteins and the composition of the gut microbiota of weaned piglets, which could provide novel insights into the application of TA in swine production. Methods: In a 42-day trial, 180 healthy, 21-day-old Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire piglets were randomly assigned to a Control group and four treatment groups (TA1–4), fed commercial diets supplemented with 0, 0.06%, 0.12%, 0.18% or 0.24% TA. Each group had six replicates of six pigs each. Results: The average daily gain in all TA groups, the jejunal and ileal villus height and the villus height-to-crypt depth ratio in the TA3 and TA4 groups were markedly increased (p < 0.05). The mRNA levels of MUC2 and ZO-1 were upregulated in the TA3 group, as were those of MUC4 in the jejunum and ileum and claudin in the duodenum and ileum; glutathione peroxidase and total antioxidant capacity were upregulated in the duodenum and jejunum in the TA3 group, and total superoxide dismutase was increased in all the TA2 groups (p < 0.05). Conversely, the malondialdehyde significantly decreased in all the TA groups (p < 0.05). TA supplementation improved the alpha diversity of the intestinal microflora and augmented probiotic abundance while reducing that of pathogenic bacteria. The contents of acetic, isobutyric, valeric, isovaleric, hexanoic and propionic acids, as well as total short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), were higher in the TA2 and TA3 groups (p < 0.05). Conclusions: TA inclusion in piglet diets improved the intestinal environment by upregulating the antioxidant enzymes, improving intestinal morphology and promoting probiotic growth and SCFA production while reducing pathogenic bacterial abundance, consequently enhancing the gut barrier and the growth of weaned piglets. Full article

This study aimed to investigate population genetic differences related to reproductive traits between Duroc and Yorkshire (Dutch Large White) pigs using two approaches: linear mixed models that dissect additive and dominant effects, and selective sweep analysis. (1) Methods: Genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data of 3917 Duroc and 3217 Yorkshire pigs were analyzed. The first principal component (PC1) was used as a simulated phenotype to capture population-level variance. Additive and dominant genetic effects were partitioned and evaluated by using the combination of the linear mixed models (LMM) and ADDO’s algorithm (LMM + ADDO). In parallel, selective sweep signals were detected using fixation index (F_ST) and nucleotide diversity (θ_π) analyses. A comparative assessment was then conducted between the LMM + ADDO and the selective sweep analysis results. Significant loci were annotated using quantitative trait loci (QTL) databases and the Ensembl genome browser. (2) Results: There are 39040 SNPs retained after quality control. Using the LMM + ADDO framework with PC1 as a simulated phenotype, a total of 632 significant SNPs and 184 candidate genes were identified. Notably, 587 SNPs and 171 genes were uniquely detected by the LMM + ADDO method and not among loci detected by the top 5% of F_ST and θ_π values. Key candidate genes associated with litter size included HSPG2, KAT6B, SAMD8, and LRMDA, while DLGAP1, MYOM1, and VTI1A were associated with teat number traits. (3) Conclusions: This study demonstrates the power of integrating additive and dominant effect modeling with population genetics approaches for the detection of genomic regions under selection. The findings provide novel insights into the genetic architecture of reproductive traits in pigs and have practical implications for understanding the inheritance of complex traits. Full article

This study aims to analyse the effect of selected variation factors on the ejaculate characteristics of boars and to characterise changes in ejaculate characteristics in Landrace, Large White, Duroc, and Pietrain boars during their use for artificial insemination. The original value of this work lies in the estimation of the percentage share of individual components of variability in shaping the traits of boar ejaculate. A total of 943 ejaculates collected from 77 boars used for artificial insemination were analysed. This study began when the boars were at 8–9 months old. Ejaculates were collected in nine consecutive months from the start of the boars’ use. Immediately after collection, they were analysed for ejaculate volume, sperm concentration, percentage of sperm with progressive motility, total number of spermatozoa, and number of insemination doses per ejaculate. The results were analysed according to three criteria: breed of boar (Landrace, Large White, Duroc, and Pietrain), age of boar (up to 10 months, 11–13 months, 14–17 months, and more than 17 months), and season (spring, summer, autumn, and winter). The analysis of the variation in ejaculate characteristics took into account the share of each factor (boar breed, boar age, and season) in the variation, as well as the interactions between factors. The effects of the three factors and interactions between them were calculated using an ANOVA (analysis of variance). The variation was shown to depend mainly on the breed and age. These two factors and the interaction between them determine about 80% of the variation in ejaculate characteristics. The season also has an effect, but its share in the influence of variation on ejaculate characteristics is relatively small. Ejaculates from Landrace boars are the most favourable for insemination, with a large volume, a relatively high sperm concentration, and the highest number of sperm. The highest number of insemination doses can be prepared from Landrace ejaculates—on average, 2.7–6.7 more doses than from the other breeds. Duroc boar ejaculates are most distinctive, with a very low volume but a very high sperm concentration and the highest sperm motility. The ejaculates of Pietrain boars showed the opposite pattern, with the largest volume but the lowest sperm concentration. The sexual development of young boars, expressed as an increase in ejaculation performance, progresses during their first year of insemination use. Full article

This study evaluated the effects of fermented banana agro-waste silage (BAWS) in finishing diets for KHAPS pigs (Duroc × MeiShan hybrid). BAWS was produced via 30 days of anaerobic fermentation of disqualified banana fruit, pseudostem, and wheat bran, doubling crude protein content and generating short-chain fatty acids, as indicated by a satisfactory Flieg’s score. Thirty-six pigs were assigned to control (0%), 5%, or 10% BAWS diets formulated to meet NRC nutritional guidelines. Over a 70-day period, BAWS inclusion caused no detrimental effects on growth performance, carcass traits, or meat quality; a transient decline in early-stage weight gain and feed efficiency occurred in the 10% group, while BAWS-fed pigs demonstrated reduced backfat thickness and increased lean area. Fore gut microbiome analysis revealed reduced Lactobacillus and elevated Clostridium sensu stricto 1, Terrisporobacter, Streptococcus, and Prevotella, suggesting enhanced fiber and carbohydrate fermentation capacity. Predictive COG (clusters of orthologous groups)-based functional profiling showed increased abundance of proteins associated with carbohydrate transport (COG2814, COG0561, COG0765) and stress-response regulation (COG2207). These results support BAWS as a sustainable feed ingredient that maintains production performance and promotes fore gut microbial adaptation, with implications for microbiota-informed nutrition and stress resilience in swine. Full article

Despite limited understanding of gut fungal roles in fat deposition among indigenous pig breeds, a comparative study between high-fat-accumulating Ningxiang (NX) pigs and lean-type Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire (DLY) pigs reveals a fungal-driven regulatory mechanism. NX pigs exhibited significantly higher fat percentage, elevated serum glucose, and markedly reduced total colonic short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) compared to DLY pigs (all p < 0.001), with butyrate showing the most pronounced decrease. Beta-diversity confirmed distinct fungal communities (p = 0.002), where NX pigs were enriched with Aspergillus and Penicillium, while DLY pigs harbored dominant Rhodotorula. Strong correlations were observed: NX-enriched fungi positively correlated with glucose and negatively with SCFAs, whereas Rhodotorula strongly associated with SCFAs (p < 0.001). FUNGuild analysis linked Aspergillus/Penicillium to enhanced polysaccharide degradation and glucose bioavailability. The findings propose a gut fungal-mediated “Glucose–SCFAs axis”: NX-enriched fungi elevate glucose (promoting lipogenesis) and suppress SCFAs (reducing butyrate-mediated adipocyte inhibition), whereas Rhodotorula in DLY pigs enhances SCFAs-induced lipolysis. Crucially, we demonstrate that fungal modulation primarily drives fat deposition differences between breeds, offering novel probiotics/antifungal strategies for precision swine breeding. Full article

The apparent ileal digestibility (AID) and standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of amino acids, digestible energy (DE), metabolizable energy (ME), and the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of nutrients in 10 fishmeal (FM) samples were evaluated in weaned barrows (Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire) using two experiments. In Experiment 1, 11 piglets (18.87 ± 0.10 kg) fitted with T-cannulas were randomly allocated to an 11 × 6 Latin-square design with 11 diets (1 nitrogen-free diet and 10 assay diets) and six periods. The AID and SID of all amino acids (AAs) except proline showed significant differences among all FM (p < 0.05). Importantly, the SID of amino acids was positively correlated with key antioxidant markers and immune parameters, and it was negatively correlated with oxidative stress markers (MDA) and pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-2 and IL-6). In Experiment 2, 11 piglets (18.05 ± 1.15 kg) were assigned to an 11 × 5 Latin-square design with 11 diets (a 96.35% corn diet and 10 assay diets) and five consecutive periods. Significant variations were observed in the DE, ME, and ATTD of dry matter among different FM samples (p < 0.05). Moreover, predictive equations for estimating the SID of lysine, methionine, threonine, and tryptophan, as well as DE and ME, were established using stepwise regression analysis based on the chemical composition of the FM. These findings demonstrate that the nutritional value of FM in nursery pig diets has been underestimated, and this study provides precise data and predictive methods for evaluating the nutritional quality of FM in precision nutrition. Full article

This study investigated the effects of dietary niacinamide supplementation on blood parameters, antioxidant status, and intestinal health in finishing pigs fed low-protein diets. Sixty-four pigs (Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire; 80.4 ± 0.1 kg) were randomly allocated to four dietary treatments supplemented with 30 (NAM30), 130 (NAM130), 230 (NAM230), and 330 (NAM330) mg/kg niacinamide for 30 days. Each treatment had four replicate pens and four pigs per pen. Growth performance was not significantly affected. However, the NAM130 group showed higher (p < 0.05) hemoglobin levels, reduced (p < 0.05) serum malondialdehyde and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) concentrations, and altered intestinal microbiota composition, including lower Streptococcus abundance (p < 0.05). Serum alanine aminotransferase levels increased quadratically (p < 0.05) with niacinamide supplementation, with a breakpoint at approximately 221 mg/kg. These results suggest that dietary supplementation with 130 mg/kg niacinamide improves antioxidant status, modulates inflammation, and supports intestinal microbial balance, with a safety threshold to avoid hepatic stress. Full article

Crude protein, as a traditional standard for characterizing dietary nitrogen content, fails to reflect protein bioavailability. Digestible protein (DP) emphasizes the importance of total available proteins and offers better adaptability in low-protein diversified diets. The objective of this study was to establish and validate the digestible protein (DP) requirement for 80–110 kg finishing pigs (Duroc × Yorkshire × Landrace). In Experiment 1, 450 pigs were fed diets with graded DP levels (8.82–11.26%). Linear and quadratic regression models identified 9.55% DP as the optimal level, optimizing average daily gain and feed efficiency (R² ≥ 0.94). Experiment 2 validated this requirement using three diet treatments and 270 pigs: high-protein traditional, low-protein traditional, and low-protein diversified. No significant differences were observed in growth performance, carcass traits, or meat quality among diets, confirming the robustness of 9.55% DP across formulations. Plasma urea nitrogen and total amino acids increased linearly with DP (p < 0.05), while hepatic transcriptomics revealed immune and metabolic partial impairments in high-protein traditional diet pigs, which may be linked to nitrogen overload. Muscle tissues from different treatment groups showed minimal transcriptional differences, emphasizing efficient protein utilization when amino acid requirements are met. This study demonstrates that 9.55% DP, combined with balanced amino acids, supports productivity in both traditional and diversified diets, reducing reliance on resource-intensive feed ingredients. These findings advocate for DP as a precise metric in swine production, thereby promoting sustainable development. Full article

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary nano-copper supplementation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, antioxidant status, inflammatory response, and intestinal barrier function in weanling pigs under heat stress conditions. Forty 20-day-old weaned weanling pigs (Yorkshire × Landrace × Duroc) weighing 6.49 ± 0.08 kg were randomly divided into five treatments with eight replicates each. The pre-feeding period was 2 days, followed by a 22-day experimental period. All groups were exposed to high heat conditions at 35 ± 1 °C. The control group received a basal diet, while the low copper sulfate (LC) group received a diet with 50 mg/kg of copper sulfate, the high copper sulfate (HC) group received a diet with 150 mg/kg of copper sulfate, the low nano-copper (LNC) group received a diet with 50 mg/kg of nano-copper oxide, and the high nano-copper (HNC) group received a diet with 150 mg/kg of nano-copper oxide. Compared to the basal group, pigs supplemented with copper (either CuSO₄ or nano-CuO) exhibited significantly higher average daily gain (ADG, p < 0.048) and feed intake (ADFI, p = 0.005), with the 50 mg/kg nano-copper group showing improved nutrient digestibility (p < 0.05) and intestinal morphology. Nano-copper supplementation significantly enhanced mucosal SOD activity (p < 0.05), reduced MDA levels (p < 0.05), and downregulated pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β and IL-6 (p < 0.05). Notably, 50 mg/kg of nano-copper increased the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of copper to 30.29%, significantly higher than the 16.55% observed in the 150 mg/kg CuSO₄ group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, fecal copper concentration was significantly reduced by 20.7% in the 50 mg/kg nano-copper group compared to copper sulfate (p < 0.001). In conclusion, nano-copper appears to be a promising alternative to copper sulfate for improving growth performance and reducing fecal copper concentrations in weanling pigs under heat stress conditions. Full article

A Capsicum spp.-based phytogenic solution (PHY) improved the performance and thermal tolerance of heat-stressed (HS) growing pigs. Two trials were conducted to further evaluate the HS pig response to supplemental PHY. Trial 1: The effects on the serum concentrations of amino acids (AAs) and the gene expression of tight junction proteins in the jejunum and ileum were assessed with 42 pigs (Landrace-Hampshire-Duroc; 27.0 ± 4.5 kg BW). There were three treatments (14 replicates): pigs under thermoneutral (TN) conditions fed control diet (TN-C); and HS pigs fed control diet without (HS-C) or with PHY (HS-PHY). Trial 2: Two-period digestion trial with eight ileal-cannulated pigs to analyze apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of AAs. Period 1: All TN pigs, fed the control (TN-C) or PHY-supplemented (TN-PHY) diet. Period 2: All HS pigs, fed the same diet as in period 1 (HS-C and HS-PHY). The control diet was based on wheat–soybean meal. In the jejunum, HS-C pigs had reduced occludin gene expression (p < 0.01) compared to TN-C pigs. HS-PHY pigs increased claudin-2 and tight-junction-protein-1 gene expression compared to HS-C (p < 0.05). In the ileum, HS-C and HS-PHY pigs had reduced occludin gene expression (p < 0.01). The serum concentrations of AAs decreased in HS-C compared to TN-C pigs (p < 0.05); except for arginine and isoleucine, HS-PHY pigs partially recovered serum AA levels. HS tended to reduce (p < 0.10; lysine and methionine) and reduced (p < 0.05) the AID of essential AAs. PHY did not mitigate the HS-associated reduced AA digestibility. In conclusion, these results support the concept that a phytogenic solution improves intestinal integrity and partially restores the post-absorption metabolism of amino acids, independent of the amino acid digestibility of heat-stressed pigs. Full article

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of fermented pine needles on the carcass traits, meat quality, and antioxidant capacity of finishing pigs. In total, 80 Duroc × (Landrace × Large white) crossbred pigs of approximately 4 months of age, with an initial body weight of 60.5 ± 2.5 kg, were randomly assigned to four experimental treatments, which were then denoted as the control treatment (basal diet), the fermented pine needle (FR) 1 treatment, the FR2 treatment, and the FR3 treatment (the pigs were fed the basal diet supplemented with 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0% fermented pine needles, respectively) for 55 d. The obtained results showed that, compared with the CON group, the fermented pine needle treatments increased the lean meat percentage, total antioxidative capacity, and superoxide dismutase activity in the serum and longissimus dorsi muscle. In addition, the treatments increased the mRNA expression levels of SOD1, catalase, and Nrf2 in the muscle and decreased the malondialdehyde activity in the serum and longissimus dorsi muscle and the Keap1 mRNA expression level. Compared with the CON and FR1 treatment, the FR2 and FR3 treatments increased springiness, serum GSH-Px activity, and longissimus dorsi muscle CAT activity, and decreased hardness, chewiness, gumminess, and cohesiveness. Moreover, compared with the CON treatment and other fermented pine needle treatments, the FR2 treatment not only significantly elevated the carcass weight, dressing percentage, pH_24h, a* value (redness), and marbling scores of the finishing pigs, but also remarkably reduced the L* value (lightness), b* value (yellowness), and shear force in the meat quality. In conclusion, the experiment indicated that the addition of fermented pine needles to the diet has no negative impact on the carcass characteristics of finishing pigs and could improve the tenderness and freshness of the meat, as evidenced by the modified antioxidant enzyme activity and mRNA expression levels of antioxidant genes in the muscles of finishing pigs. Full article

Dietary nutrient digestion and utilization patterns influence pig performance and intestinal health. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of protein digestion and fiber fermentation speed among different feed ingredients on growth performance and fecal short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentrations in weaned pigs. A total of 192 weaned pigs (Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire [6.87 ± 0.14 kg]) were selected and randomly divided into four dietary groups: fast-digesting protein with fast-fermenting fiber, fast-digesting protein with slow-fermenting fiber, slow-digesting protein with fast-fermenting fiber, and slow-digesting protein with slow-fermenting fiber. The results showed that cottonseed and wheat protein powders exhibited faster protein digestion than potato protein powder (p < 0.05). In vitro microbial fermentation of hawthorn powder and orange pomace resulted in greater and faster gas production and SCFA concentrations than sugarcane bagasse (p < 0.05). Orange pomace increased the abundance of Klebsiella and Escherichia–Shigella, whereas sugarcane bagasse increased the abundance of Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group and norank_f__Muribaculaceae. In addition, the fast-fermentation fiber tended to increase the daily weight gain and feed intake of piglets (p < 0.10), and the slow-fermentation fiber significantly reduced diarrhea incidence in pigs (p < 0.05). Fast fermentation increased acetate and valerate concentrations, and slow-digestion protein increased branched-chain SCFA and valerate contents (p < 0.05). In conclusion, there were large variations in protein digestion and fiber fermentation speed among the different common feed ingredients. Dietary protein digestion and fiber fermentation speed would affect growth performance and diarrhea incidence in weaned pigs. Full article