Effects of fermented garlic powder supplementation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood characteristics and meat quality in growing-finishing pigs

Abstract

One hundred pigs (BW=50.7±1.89kg) were used to investigate the effects of fermented garlic powder (FGP) in growing-finishing pigs. Pigs were allotted to one of five treatments, included: (i) NC (basal diet); (ii) PC (NC+44mg/kg of Tylosin); (iii) FGP1 (NC+1g/kg FGP); (iv) FGP2 (NC+2g/kg FGP); and (v) FGP4 (NC+4g/kg FGP). Supplemental FGP increased average daily gain (ADG) and gain/feed ratio compared with those fed NC diet throughout the experiment (P<0.05, linearly). Dietary PC treatment increased the ADG and average daily feed intake during the first 6weeks (P<0.05). The inclusion of FGP2 and FGP4 treatments had higher apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter and nitrogen (P<0.05) than those in the NC treatment. Dietary NC treatment exhibited lower (P<0.05) lymphocyte count (6 and 12weeks) and immunoglobulin G (12weeks) than those in the other treatments. Marbling scores were higher (P<0.05) in FGP treatment groups than the NC treatments. Pigs fed on FGP2 and FGP4 diets evidenced lower 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances value (P<0.05) than those in the NC and PC treatments. Collectively, our findings demonstrated that the administration of FGP at a level of 2 or 4g/kg improved growth performance, nutrient digestibility and meat quality in growing-finishing pigs. © 2011 The Authors. Animal Science Journal © 2011 Japanese Society of Animal Science.