CHROMIUM SUPPLEMENTS IN THE FEED FOR GROWING PIGS - INFLUENCE ON GROWTH AND MEAT QUALITY

An experiment with 40 female growing pigs from 27.4 to 106.5 kg body weight (BW) in individual pens was conducted to evaluate the effect of different chromium supplements (Cr-chloride; Cr-yeast and Cr-picolinate) according Co 0.5 ppm Cr in the diet compared with a control diet without any additional chromium. The influence on growth performance and carcass as well as meat composition was studied. In comparison with the control diet body weight gain and feed conversion ratio in the finishing period (60 to 106.5 kg BW) were significant increased and lowered respectively in the treatment with Cr-chloride and with the other Cr supplements tendentially. The results of the carcass composition as well as the fatty acid profile of neutral and complex lipids in the muscle (M. longissimus dorsi) at the 10th rib did not indicate a statistically significant effect of the Cr supplements. Furthermore energy utilization on the base of digestibility was not affected. Concerning the Longissimus muscle area and the intramuscular fat content there were positive tendencies of the investigated Cr supplements.