Dietary conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) has comparable effects to ractopamine on the growth performance, meat quality and fatty acid profiles of loin muscles of finishing pigs under commercial husbandry

The effects of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) supplementation on pig loin muscle growth performance, meat quality and fatty acid profiles were compared with the effects of ractopamine supplementation. Two hundred seventy commercial Landrace-Yorkshire pigs (135 barrows and 135 gilts/BW = 75 kg) were randomly assigned to one of three treatments. Ninety animals per treatment were allocated into groups of 30 animals (15 barrows and 15 gilts) with three replications. The treatments were as follows: RAC (diet given on the farm and included ractopamine and mixed vegetable oils); CLA 0.5% (basal diet + CLA 0.5%); and CLA 1% (basal diet + 1% CLA). Final weight and daily gain were affected by treatment × sex in gilts supplemented with CLA 0.5% but not in barrows. Feed intake was reduced in animals supplemented with CLA at 0.5%. Supplementation with CLA did not affect the meat quality parameters (p > .05). CLA 1% delayed the lipid oxidation of the pork meat. CLA 1% decreased the contents of 18:1, 18:2, 20:5 n3, and 22:6 n3 in intramuscular fat compared to those in unsupplemented animals (p < .05). In conclusion, CLA 0.5% in the diet showed a better effect than the use of ractopamine on growth performance in gilts but not in barrows. CLA 0.5% evoked a similar response as ractopamine in the PUFA content of intramuscular fat and meat quality. Thus, CLA could replace this commonly used additive, which has been restricted in several countries, in the pork industry.Highlights Dietary CLA 0.5% produced an improvement in growth performance in gilts. Dietary CLA 1% delayed the lipid oxidation of pork meat. CLA is an alternative supplement to ractopamine due to their similar effects on meat quality parameters