Meat quality in pigs fed diets with gradual ractopamine supplementation and nutritional adjustments

This study evaluated the effects that gradual ractopamine supplementation in diets with nutritional adjustments on pig meat. Were used 80 finishing crossbred barrows in a randomized block design with a 2×5 factorial arrangement (two diets: with and without nutritional adjustment; five levels of ractopamine supplementation: 5-5, 10-10, 20-20, 5-10 and 10-20 ppm) in the 14 initial and 14 final study days, four replicates with two animals by experimental unit. Higher shear force values (P<0.05) were obtained using the 5-5 and 10-20 ppm ractopamine supplementation plans in the diets without nutritional adjustment. With nutritionally adjusted diets, the 5-10 ppm of ractopamine supplementation plan yielded higher shear force values (P<0.05). Water retention capacity was higher (P<0.05) for animals fed adjusted diets and 5-5 and 10-20 ppm of ractopamine plans. In the 10-20 ppm of ractopamine supplementation plan, meat pH was higher (P<0.05) for diets without nutritional adjustment, whereas in the 20-20 ppm of supplementation plan, pH was higher for adjusted diets.