The use of synthetic and natural vitamin D sources in pig diets to improve meat quality and vitamin D content.
This study investigated the effects of synthetic and natural sources of vitamin D biofortification in pig diets on pork vitamin D activity and pork quality. One hundred and twenty pigs (60 male, 60 female) were assigned to one of four dietary treatments for a 55 d feeding period. The dietary treatments were (1)50 μg vitamin D₃/kg of feed; (2)50 μg of 25-hydroxvitamin D₃/kg of feed (25-OH-D₃); (3)50 μg vitamin D₂/kg of feed; (4)50 μg vitamin D₂-enriched mushrooms/kg of feed (Mushroom D₂). The pigs offered the 25-OH-D₃ diet exhibited the highest (P < 0.001) serum total 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration and subsequently exhibited the highest (P < 0.05) Longissimus thoracis (LT) total vitamin D activity. Mushroom D2 and 25-OH-D3 supplementation increased pork antioxidant status. The vitamin D₂-enriched mushrooms improved (P < 0.05) pig performance, carcass weight and LT colour. In conclusion, 25-OH-D₃ is the most successful source for increasing pork vitamin D activity, while Mushroom D2 may be a new avenue to improve animal performance and pork quality.
['Duffy|Sarah K|SK|', 'Kelly|Alan K|AK|', 'Rajauria|Gaurav|G|', 'Jakobsen|Jette|J|', 'Clarke|Louise C|LC|', 'Monahan|Frank J|FJ|', 'Dowling|Kirsten G|KG|', 'Hull|George|G|', 'Galvin|Karen|K|', 'Cashman|Kevin D|KD|', 'Hayes|Aoife|A|', "O'Doherty|John V|JV|"]
D015652:25-Hydroxyvitamin D 2 D000363:Agaricales D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena D000818:Animals D000975:Antioxidants D002112:Calcifediol D002762:Cholecalciferol D003433:Crosses, Genetic D004872:Ergocalciferols D005260:Female D063427:Food Quality D005527:Food, Fortified D006801:Humans D007494:Ireland D008297:Male D008460:Meat D018482:Muscle, Skeletal D009753:Nutritive Value D010860:Pigments, Biological D011897:Random Allocation D034421:Sus scrofa D015430:Weight Gain
Vitamin D Pork quality Vitamin D₂-enriched mushroom 25-Hydroxvitamin D₃ Antioxidant activity Pork colour