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The experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that the replacement of cereal with low-starch feed ingredients in lambs' finishing diets supplemented with oils could prevent the accumulation of t-10-18:1 in meat. Forty lambs were fed 1 of 4 diets supplemented with soybean oil (5.9%) and fish oil (1%) for 6 wk before slaughter. The control (CON) diet contained 43% barley, and in the other diets, barley was completely replaced by dehydrated citrus pulp (DCP), dehydrated sugar beet pulp (DBP), or soybean hulls (SH). Growth performance, feed intake, and carcass and meat quality traits were analyzed. At slaughter, LM samples were collected for gene expression evaluation, and 3 d after slaughter, LM and subcutaneous (s.c.) fat samples were collected for fatty acid analysis. None of the diets affected meat quality, but the DCP diet reduced ADG (P< 0.05) and the DCP and SH diets decreased the feed-to-gain ratio (P< 0.01). The DCP diet increased (P< 0.05) the risk of parakeratosis and the severity of the lesions. Moreover, the DBP treatment led to increased a* (redness) and b* (yellowness) in s.c. fat compared with the CON treatment (P< 0.05). The lipid content of LM did not differ (P> 0.05). with treatment and averaged 34.4 g/kg of meat. Diets had no effect (P> 0.05). on SFA, PUFA, and cis-MUFA sums and on the n-6:n-3 ratio in both LM and s.c. fat. A lower expression of fatty acid synthase (FASN) was found with the DCP treatment than with the other treatments (P< 0.001). All treatments showed a high accumulation of t-10-18:1, averaging 91 mg/g fatty acid in LM and 147 mg/g fatty acid in s.c. fat. The concentration of t-11-18:1 in the tissues was considerably lower than that of t-10-18:1, and thus the t-10-18:1:t-11-18:1 ratio was above 3 with all treatments. Despite this, the SH diet clearly promoted a larger deposition of t-11-18:1 and c-9,t-11-18:2 in tissues compared with the other treatments. Stearoyl-CoA desaturase(SCD) gene expression and SCD activity index in LM were reduced with the SH diet compared with the CON and DCP diets. Overall, these results clearly showed, for the first time, that low-starch/high-NDF diets are not able to prevent the establishment of t-10 shifted rumen biohydrogenation pathways, evaluated by the deposition of biohydrogenation intermediates in lamb meat and fat.

Forty entire male pigs from a commercial crossbreed (Duroc × Large White × Landrace) were used to investigate the individual or combined effects of betaine and Arg supplementation in Lys-deficient diets on growth performance, carcass traits, and pork quality. Pigs with 59.9 ± 1.65 kg BW were randomly assigned to 1 of 5 dietary treatments (n= 8). The 5 dietary treatments were normal Lys and CP diet (0.51% Lys and 16% CP; control), reduced Lys and CP diet (0.35% Lys and 13% CP), reduced Lys and CP diet with betaine supplementation (0.33%), reduced Lys and CP diet with Arg supplementation (1.5%), and reduced Lys and CP diet with betaine and Arg supplementation (0.33% betaine and 1.5% Arg). Pigs were slaughtered at 92.7 ± 2.54 kg BW. The Lys-deficient diets (–35% Lys) increased intramuscular fat (IMF) content by 25% (P= 0.041) and meat juiciness by 12% (P= 0.041) but had a negative effect on growth performance (P< 0.05) of pigs. In addition, Lys-deficient diets increased L* (P= 0.005) and b* (P= 0.010) muscle color parameters and perirenal fat deposition (P< 0.001) and decreased both HCW (P= 0.015) and loin weight (P= 0.023). Betaine and Arg supplementation of Lys-deficient diets had no effect on IMF content but increased (P< 0.05) overall pork acceptability. Arginine supplementation also increased (P= 0.003) meat tenderness. Differences in fatty acid composition of pork were not detected among dietary treatment groups. However, oleic acid was positively correlated (P< 0.05) with IMF content, juiciness, flavor, and overall acceptability of meat. Data confirm that dietary CP reduction enhances pork eating quality but negatively affects pigs' growth performance. Moreover, it is suggested that betaine and Arg supplementation of Lys-deficient diets does not further increase IMF content but improves some pork sensory traits, including overall acceptability.

Finishing Holstein young bulls exclusively on pasture generally results in very lean carcass and meat, but corn supplementation is expected to simultaneously improve carcass traits and intramuscular lipids (IML). The expected increase in IML would allow for a larger 18:2c9,t11 (CLA) deposition in meat without affecting the n-3 PUFA present in LM phospholipids (PL). Holstein bulls (n= 33) with initial BW of 423 ± 52.4 kg reared exclusively on pasture were assigned to 1 of 3 finishing period (85 d) diets: finished exclusively on pasture (P0) or finished on pasture and individually supplemented with 4 (P4) or 8 kg/d (P8) of ground corn. Final BW (546 ± 56.3 kg) was not affected (P> 0.05) by corn supplementation, but ADG increased (P< 0.01) with the increasing corn supplementation level from 1.23 kg/d for P0 to 1.44 kg/d for P4 and to 1.67 kg/d for P8. Subcutaneous fat depth in P0 bulls was 0.8 mm and increased (P< 0.001) in both P4 (2.9 mm) and P8 (2.7 mm) bulls, but no difference (P= 0.73) was observed between P4 and P8 bulls. Similarly, the IML increased with corn supplementation, from 1.84 g/100 g muscle in P0 to 2.96 in P4 and to 3.24 in P8, but no difference (P= 0.55) was found between P4 and P8 bulls. Corn supplementation decreased (P< 0.01) 18:1t11 in neutral lipids (NL) but not 18:2c9,t11 (P> 0.34). The 18:1t10 (mg/g total NL fatty acid [FA] ± SEM) were 2.5 ± 0.13 in P0, 5.5 ± 1.68 in P4, and 14.8 ± 3.18 in P8 bulls, being greater in P8 compared with P4 (P= 0.02). Total FA in muscle PL and SFA were unaffected, but increasing corn supplementation resulted (P< 0.001) in an increase of 18:2n-6 in PL by replacement of mostly the 18:1c9 and 18:3n-3. Notably, the total number of cisdouble bonds present in FA of PL remained constant (P= 0.74) with corn supplementation. Compared with P0, corn supplementation maintained (P> 0.05) the high n-3 PUFA content in meat (mg/100 g meat) and increased the 18:2c9,t11 (P= 0.028) and 18:1c9 (P< 0.001). However, increasing corn supplementation from 4 to 8 kg/d increased the 18:1t10 (P= 0.031) and had no effect on 18:2c9,t11. Therefore, supplementing grass-finished Holstein bulls with moderate amounts of ground corn (4 kg/d) increased carcass fat cover and IML, maintained n-3 PUFA, and increased 18:2c9,t11 content in meat, whereas greater corn supplementation (8 kg/d; P8) resulted in no further improvements.

Fifty-four entire male pigs (Duroc × Pietrain × Large White × Landrace) from a commercial crossbred operation were used to investigate the effect of dietary Arg supplementation, protein reduction (PR), and Leu supplementation on performance, carcass traits, and meat quality. Pigs weighing 58.9 ± 1.6 kg BW were randomly assigned to 1 of 6 treatments (n= 9). The 6 dietary treatments were normal CP diet (16% CP, NPD), reduced CP diet (13% CP, RPD), reduced CP diet with Leu addition to 2.0% (RPDL), normal CP diet supplemented with 1% Arg (16% CP, Arg-NPD), reduced CP diet supplemented with 1% Arg (13% CP, Arg-RPD), and reduced CP diet with Leu addition to 2.0% and supplemented with 1% Arg (13% CP, Arg-RPDL). Pigs were slaughtered at 91.7 ± 1.6 kg BW. Dietary Arg supplementation had no effect on intramuscular fat (IMF) content but produced meat off-flavor and increased meat tenderness and overall acceptability. The PR increased (P< 0.001) IMF content (45% to 48%) but negatively affected the growth performance of pigs. In addition, PR increased (P< 0.05) back fat thickness and decreased loin weight. Leucine addition did not affect IMF content, back fat thickness, or loin weight. There was an increase of juiciness with PR and Leu addition, which accompanied the increase of IMF content with the low-CP diet. The PR increased meat deposition of 18:1c9, SFA, MUFA, and PUFA, which were not correlated with any pork sensory trait. The main combined effect of Arg was an increased tenderness and overall acceptability of pork. In conclusion, it was confirmed that dietary CP reduction enhances pork eating quality but negatively affects growth performance and carcass characteristics of pigs.

The aims of the study were 1) to investigate effects of a low protein diet on fatty acids content and composition of the LM and subcutaneous adipose tissue in 3 genetically diverse breeds, Large White × Landrace, Alentejano, and Bizaro, and 2) to determine whether the effect of the low protein diet of fatty acid composition is associated with dietary modulation of stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) protein expression. The experiments were conducted on 12 Large White × Landrace, 12 Alentejano, and 10 Bízaro female and male pigs. The average animal BW at the beginning of experiments was 40.8, 40.7, and 38.3 kg for Large White × Landrace, Alentejano, and Bízaro, respectively, and the BW of animals at slaughter was 90 kg. The diets contained 202 or 169 g/kg DM of CP (high and low protein diets, respectively) and were balanced in essential AA. The diets were fed until the animals reached 90 kg BW (approximately 73 d). It was established that Large White × Landrace pigs had a less (P = 0.001) total fatty acid content in subcutaneous adipose tissue when compared with Alentejano and Bízaro and less (P < 0.001) intramuscular fat (IMF) content when compared with Alentejano. There was a positive relationship between SCD protein expression in the LM and MUFA content (r = 0.627, P = 0.029) and SCD protein expression and total muscle fatty acids content (r = 0.725, P = 0.008) in Large White × Landrace but not in Alentejano and Bizaro breeds. It has been suggested that SCD protein expression is associated with regulation of fat deposition only in breeds with genetic predisposition to a low IMF content.

Sixty entire male pigs from 2 distinct genotypes (30 Alentejano purebred, an autochthonous fatty genotype, and 30 commercial crossbred pigs, a lean genotype) were used to investigate the effects of dietary CP reduction and low-Lys levels on growth performance, carcass traits, and meat quality. Pigs with 59.9 ± 2.0 kg BW were randomly assigned within each genotype to 1 of 3 diets [normal CP diet (control), reduced CP diet adjusted for Lys (RPDL), and reduced CP diet not adjusted for Lys (RPD)] as a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement of treatments with 10 individually fed pigs per treatment. Pigs were slaughtered at 93.4 ± 2.4 kg BW. The results showed that intramuscular fat (IMF) content of longissimus lumborum muscle was greater in Alentejano than crossbred pigs (5.0 vs. 2.4%). The RPDL had no effect on IMF content, ADG, backfat thickness, and loin weight in both genotypes. The RPD promoted the increase (P < 0.05) in IMF content in crossbred (∼50%) but not Alentejano pigs, which indicates that Lys restriction can mediate the effect of RPD. Within crossbred pigs, meat obtained from pigs fed RPD had an increased IMF content (+1.3%) and a tendency for greater sensory scores (tenderness, juiciness, flavor, and acceptability) than those fed the control. The IMF content was positively correlated to flavor in Alentejano genotype (P < 0.05) but not in crossbred pigs. Alentejano and crossbred pigs had a greater tendency to deposit 18:1c9 and SFA, respectively. Despite the contribution of fatty acid composition to flavor, its influence on pork acceptability was more noticeable in crossbred than Alentejano pigs. In conclusion, the increased IMF promoted by dietary CP reduction in lean but not in fatty pig genotypes during the growing-finishing period is likely due to Lys limitation, which seems to enhance eating quality of pork.

It is well established that the use of alfalfa in diets for monogastric animals is limited by its high fiber content. However, alfalfa is a natural source of xanthophylls and gives poultry products a desirably yellow color. In addition, alfalfa saponins may contribute to reduce the levels of cholesterol in the meat and egg yolk. We have investigated the potential utilization of ß-glucanases and ß-1,4-xylanases for enhancing the nutritive value of alfalfa for laying hens. An experiment was conducted with 864 ISA Brown layer hens from 40 to 52 wk of age and fed on diets containing rye (19.6%) or rye and alfalfa (15.1%). The results suggested that inclusion of alfalfa in the diets reduced body weights and total egg mass (P < 0.01). Dietary supplementation with polysaccharidases was unable to significantly improve the performance of laying hens. However, egg yolks from birds that consumed diets containing alfalfa were more deeply pigmented, presenting an increase in yellowness (b*). In contrast, at the percentage of incorporation tested, inclusion of alfalfa in the diets was unable to lower the levels of cholesterol content in the egg yolk. Taken together the results suggest that exogenous plant cell wall hydrolases are not effective for improving the nutritive value of alfalfa-containing diets for laying hens, although inclusion of small percentages of the dehydrated leguminous meal may directly affect the quality of the generated poultry products.