EFFECTS OF VITAMIN D3 AND VITAMIN E ON QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS OF PIGS BY FEEDING

the effects of addition of vitamin d3 and vitamin e to pig diet on blood plasma calcium concentration and meat quality (longis simus muscle) were investigated. the treatment consisted of supplementation with vitamin e (500 mg a-tocopheryl acetate/kg diet) for 30 days and vitamin d3 (500,000 Iu/d) for 5 days to growing pigs before slaughtering these fullgrown ones. animals fed with vitamin d3 exhibited higher (P<0.01) plasma calcium concentration compared with control pigs. the dietary supplementation of vitamin e significantly (P<0.05) increased the concentration of a-tocopherol in meat (longissimus muscle). Lipid oxidation meas ured as mda (malondialdehyde) was positively influenced by the supplementation with vitamin e. Vitamin d3 supplementation resulted in higher (P<0.05) a* values of loin chops at 5 d of shelf storage. Vitamin d3 and vitamin e supplementation did not affect other meat quality characteristics or tenderness (quantified via Warner-Bratzler shear force).