Effects of sucrose-chelated trace elements on growth performance, meat quality, and muscle mineral deposition in growing-finishing pigs.

The experiment aimed to assess the effects of sucrose-chelated trace elements as substitutes for inorganic trace elements on the growth performance, carcass traits, meat quality, and muscle trace element deposition in growingfinishing pigs. Eighty-four castrated boars (70±3) kg were randomly divided into two treatment groups, each treatment with six replicates, and each replicate consisting of seven pigs. The control group (IE group) was fed a diet supplemented with 1% inorganic trace elements, and the experimental group (SE group) was fed a diet supplemented with 1% sucrosechelated trace elements. The experiment lasted for 56 days. The results showed that compared to IE group, the average daily gain, final weight, carcass weight, and backfat thickness of growing-finishing pigs in SE group increased ( P<0.05), the drip loss and refrigeration loss of the longissimus dorsi muscle decreased ( P<0.05), and the thawing loss showed a trend of reduction ( P>0.05). The redness (a*) value of the longissimus dorsi muscle of SE group increased after 45 minutes and one day of storage ( P<0.05). The T-AOC, T-SOD, and GSH-Px activities of the longissimus dorsi muscle of SE group were enhanced ( P<0.05), and the MDA content decreased ( P<0.05). Compared to IE group, the Cu and Se content in the longissimus dorsi muscle in SE group increased ( P<0.05), and the Fe and Mn content in the hind leg muscle increased ( P<0.05).The study indicates that using sucrose-chelated trace elements in the diet as substitutes for inorganic trace elements can improve the growth performance, carcass traits, meat quality, and muscle antioxidant status of growing-finishing pigs, and promote the deposition of trace elements in muscles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]