Effect of expanded diets on growth performance, meat quality and carcass characteristics in finishing pigs

Abstract

The objective of the study was to evaluate the effects of expanded diets on growth performance, meat quality, and carcass characteristics in finishing pigs. A total of 80 finishing pigs [(Landrace × Yorkshire) × Duroc] were randomly allotted to two dietary treatments: 1) unexpanded corn-soybean meal diets; 2) expanded corn-soybean meal diets. Each treatment consisted of ten replicate pens with four pigs (2 gilts and 2 barrows) per pen. There were no differences in daily feed intake and daily gain throughout the experiment (P less than 0.05). However, expanded diets decreased feed conversion ratio compared with unexpanded diets (P less than 0.05). Expanded diets had no effect on carcass characteristics and meat quality with the exception of increased sensory evaluation (color) of meat compared with unexpanded diets (P less than 0.05). In conclusion, expanded diets can improve feed conversion ratio but have no effect on daily gain and daily feed intake and sensory evaluation of meat color.