Effect of dietary inclusion of a herbal extract mixture and different oils on pig performance and meat quality

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of a herbal extract mixture on pig performance and meat quality. The experiment was performed on 60 fatteners (60 ± 0.5-112 ± 2.0 kg). Group I (control) was fed with standard feed; groups II and III received the same feed supplemented with 150 mg BHT or 500 mg of a herbal extract mixture (sage, nettle, lemon balm and coneflower) per kg of feed, respectively. In each group, half of the animals received 4% rapeseed oil, the other half soybean oil. The herbal extracts had no effect on animal performance but significantly improved meat oxidative stability, lowered cholesterol and TI index and increased PUFA content in meat. Slight differences between animals fed with rapeseed or soybean oils were observed. Gilt meat had significantly better (P ≤ 0.01) AI, TI, and h/H indices than barrow meat. It was concluded that herbal extracts have a beneficial effect on pork health-promoting properties due to changes in lipid fraction.