Added fat fed with 30% dried distillers grains with solubles to pigs alters fatty acid composition in 4 fat depots but does not change carcass composition or quality

ABSTRACT Objective The objective of this study was to determine the influence of added fat on carcass characteristics as well as muscle and fat quality of pigs fed diets containing 30% dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) or 30% high-protein dried distillers grains and 3% added fat in the form of choice white grease (CWG) or butter oil. Materials and Methods Forty individually reared barrows (100 ± 3 kg; PIC C23 × 337) were randomly assigned to 1 of 5 diets. Dietary treatments included a positive control diet based on corn and soybean meal (PCON) formulated with 3% CWG; a diet based on corn and soybean meal containing 30% high-protein dried distillers grain (HPDDG) and 3% CWG; or diets based on corn and soybean meal formulated with 30% DDGS and containing either no added fat (30% DDGS), 3% CWG (DDGS + CWG), or 3% butter oil (DDGS + butter oil). Results and Discussion Postmortem carcass characteristics and quality attributes were not different among diets (P > 0.08) except the semimembranosus muscle from pigs fed HPDDG had a more basic ultimate pH (P = 0.01) compared with all other treatments. Diet changed (P Implications and Applications Regardless of additional fat inclusion, 30% DDGS in the diet decreased monounsaturated fatty acids and increased PUFA concentrations in backfat and belly and jowl fat. Although added fat in the diet altered fatty acid composition in multiple fat depots, adding additional saturated fat to the diet did not improve other measures of carcass quality.