PSVIII-21 - Multi-strain probiotics improved carcass characteristics and meat quality in pigs

Probiotics are live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host. Many studies have demonstrated that probiotics could enhance the growth performance of swine, but rare evidence on meat quality. Therefore, a combination of Lactobacillus and Bacillus strains, SYNLAC^TMLeanAd (SLA), on carcass characteristic, meat quality and cecal microbiota of pig was conducted. 60 LYD weaned pigs were randomly allotted to control (corn-SBM based diet, CT), antibiotic (basal diet with 200 ppm Amoxicillin, AB), and multi-strain probiotics (basal diet with SLA at 10⁶ CFU/g feed, SLA). Pigs fed treatment diets from 7 to 130 Kg BW (24 wks) with 20 pigs/TRT, and individual pigs used as experimental unit for carcass evaluation. There were no differences on carcass weight and carcass yield. Lean percentage of CT, AB and SLA were 54.01, 51.54, and 54.75%, respectively (P > 0.05) with subcutaneous fat 21.59, 21.21, 17.22%, and backfat 3.08, 3.21, 2.76 cm, individually (P > 0.05). However, the longissimus muscles area was improved (62.77 vs. 68.42 vs. 91.59 cm², P < 0.05), loin weight increased (3.52 vs. 3.49 vs. 4.52 Kg, P < 0.05) with greater marbling score (2.38 vs. 1.80 vs.2.78, P < 0.05) in SLA. Sensory evaluation showed pigs fed SLA had higher juiciness score (3.55 vs. 3.18 vs. 3.91, P < 0.05) with better overall acceptance. It is unclear pork quality was different between treatments; however, cecal microbiome gene sequencing suggested a potential linkage of gut microbiota modification and pork quality by AB or SLA feeding.