Growth performance, carcass characteristics, and pork quality of pigs fed plum juice concentrate as a feed additive

Yorkshire pigs (n = 32) were used to determine the influence of supplementation of plum juice concentrate (PJC) on growth and carcass and quality characteristics of pork. Pigs were sorted by weight and sex (n = 16 barrows, n = 16 gilts) and assigned to 16 pens with 2 pigs per pen. Pens were randomly allotted to 4 diets: 0 (control), 0.5, 1.0, or 3.0% PJC. During the feed trial, feed intake and weight gain were monitored every 14 d. Pigs were slaughtered at an average pen weight of 114 kg (group 1 = 84 d; group 2 = 98 d). Supplementation of PJC did not affect (P > 0.05) animal performance. Supplementation of PJC did not affect (P > 0.05) carcass characteristics. However, gilts had a larger loin muscle area (P = 0.02) and less fat at the 10th rib (P = 0.01) than barrows. Supplementing PJC had little effect on pork quality. However, pork from barrows produced less drip loss (P = 0.02) in comparison with gilts. In conclusion, supplementation of PJC up to 3.0% in the diet did not affect growing-finishing pig performance, carcass characteristics, or pork quality.