Effect of swine diets supplemented with magnesium sulfate and electroytes on pork quality

The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file.Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on October 29, 2007)Vita.Includes bibliographical references.Thesis (M.S.) University of Missouri-Columbia 2007.Dissertations, Academic -- University of Missouri--Columbia -- Food science.Market hogs (n = 160) were allotted into four dietary treatments to evaluate the effectiveness of magnesium sulfate and electrolytes on improving pork quality. The experiment was conducted in four seasons to evaluate seasonality (temperature) as an environmental stressor. Duroc and Berkshire x Duroc market hogs were grouped by weight, sex and breed into one of four dietary treatments. The dietary treatments were: 1) control (corn/SBM based; 13.5% CP and 0.8% total lysine), 2) control + 3.2g/pig/d of magnesium sulfate (MgSO[subscript 4]) for a minimum of 14 d prior to slaughter, 3) control + 1.5% electrolytes (sodium bicarbonate; NaHCO[subscript 4]) fed for 48 h prior to slaughter, and 4) control + 3.2 g/pig/d MgSO[subscript 4] + 1.5% NaHCO[subscript 4]. No differences (P [greater than] 0.05) in pork quality were found between dietary treatments. Live weight, gain, carcass weight and dressing percentage did not differ (P [greater than] 0.05) by trial. Trial 4 had the highest 24 h loin and ham pH (P [less than] 0.05) while hogs processed in Trial 2 had the lowest 24 h pH of the four trials. Trial 4 hogs had the lowest L values in the ham and loin while Trial 3 had the highest L values in the loin and Trial 2 had the highest L values in the ham (P [less than] 0.05). Trial 4 loins had the lowest drip loss (P [less than] 0.05) which corresponded to the highest pH and lowest L values. The highest values for Warner-Bratzler Shear force (P [less than] 0.05) were found in Trials 1 and 2 while Trials 3 and 4 both had the lowest values. Overall, dietary treatment had no effect on pork quality. However, seasonal temperature had an impact on pork quality