Effects of vermiculite-based additives on macroscopic lung lesions, carcass traits and meat quality in finishing pigs

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of a low dosage of vermiculite-based additives on lung health, carcass traits and meat quality of finishing pigs. One hundred and forty finishing pigs were allotted to two experimental groups (A and B) of seventy pigs each. Both groups were fed with an identical feed ration except for the addition of vermiculite-based feed additives (VBFABD) administered to finishing pigs allotted to group A as 0.007% of the basal diet (BD). At the end of the 20 weeks of experiment, the finishing pigs were transferred to a commercial slaughterhouse. Lungs from all the one hundred and forty finishing pigs were submitted to macroscopic examination. At the end of the slaughter line, the carcass quality grade was determined according to the SEUROP carcass classification system based on the lean meat percentage by a trained operator of the abattoir. Samples of Longissimus dorsii muscle were subjected to determination of muscle pH at 45 min and at 24 h. After a storage period of 24 h at 4°C, water holding capacity (WHC) was determined. Fatty acids were extracted from the pork fat samples and used to determine the grams of Iodine per unit mass of lipid (Iodine value, IV). Post mortem inspection of the lungs did not show significant differences between group A and B except for score 3 pulmonary lesions (p < 0.05). According to the SEUROP carcass classification system, finishing pigs allotted to BD obtained the highest scores i.e. 15 carcasses were classified “U”. The final carcass weight was negatively correlated to the lean meat percentage correlation (p < 0.001). Compared with BD, VBFABD increased the back-fat thickness (p < 0.001) and the fatty acid saturation index (p < 0.05). Basal diet with the inclusion of low clay minerals dosage might be beneficial to carcass traits and meat quality of finishing pigs.