Effects of coated cysteamine on growth performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality and lipid metabolism in finishing pigs

• Published in: Animal feed science and technology 2020-05, Vol.263, p.114480, Article 114480
• Main Authors: Tao, W.J., Liu, L.J., Li, H., Pei, X., Wang, G., Xiao, Z.P., Yu, R., Li, Z.F., Wang, M.Q.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Carcass characteristics; Coated cysteamine; Growth performance; Lipid metabolism; Meat quality; Pigs
• ISSN: 0377-8401; 1873-2216
• DOI: 10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2020.114480

•Coated cysteamine (CCS) did not affect growth performance of finishing pigs.•CCS had beneficial effects on carcass lean percentage and longissmus muscle area.•An appropriate level of CCS was able to increase growth hormone levels in serum.•An appropriate level of CCS was able to reduce somatostatin levels in serum.•CCS affected related enzyme activity in subcutaneous adipose tissue. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of coated cysteamine (CCS) on growth performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality, and lipid metabolism in finishing pigs. A total of 160 pigs (62.12 ± 1.43 kg body weight) were randomly divided into 4 groups, with 4 pens per group and 10 pigs (5 gilts and 5 barrows) per pen. Pigs were fed a basal diet supplemented with 0, 100, 200, or 400 mg/kg CCS, corresponding to 0, 27, 54, or 108 mg/kg cysteamine, respectively. All pigs were given free access to feed and water for forty days. Average daily gain, average daily feed intake and feed to gain ratio were not affected by the CCS treatment. Supplemental CCS increased carcass lean ratio linearly (P < 0.05) and longissmus muscle area quadratically (P < 0.05), and the water-holding capacity as measured by 24 h drip loss was quadratically affected (P < 0.05) by CCS supplementation. The activity of hormone-sensitive lipase in subcutaneous adipose tissue was linearly increased (P < 0.001), while fatty acid synthase activity was linearly decreased (P < 0.05). Pigs fed CCS had a lower serum triacylglycerol (P < 0.001) level and lipase activity (P < 0.001), lower total cholesterol (P < 0.05) level, and a higher total protein (P < 0.001) and free fatty acids (P < 0.01) levels. In addition, CCS quadratically increased serum growth hormone (GH) (P < 0.001) level and quadratically affected somatostatin (SS) (P < 0.05) level. Consistently, significant effects of dietary CCS were observed on the mRNA expression of GH and SS in the anterior pituitary gland and the hypothalamus, respectively, where the intermediate CCS level showed the highest GH mRNA level and lowest SS mRNA level. The results indicate that dietary supplementation of CCS has beneficial effects on carcass characteristics and meat quality, and affects lipid metabolism in finishing pigs.