Abstract
This study was conducted to evaluate the biochemical constituents of serum in fattening pigs fed potato mixed silage. Potato mixed silage was prepared to contain 80% of the lysine requirement of the Japanese feeding standard for finishing pigs to produce pork with higher intramuscular fat contents. Two groups were made of 15 pigs in all: 8 pigs were given the potato mixed silage; seven pigs, considered the control group, were given ad libitum access to commercial feed. The biochemical constituents of serum were measured before, 5 wk after, and 10 wk after administration of the diet. The total protein (TP), albumin (Alb), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) values were significantly lower in pigs given potato mixed silage than in control pigs (P<0.01), but these values were in the normal range of biochemical constituents of serum in fattening pigs. No difference was found between the two groups in gamma-glutamil transpeptidase (GGT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactic acid dehydrogenase (LDH), total cholesterol (T-Chol) or high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) values. Slaughter inspection revealed that pigs fed potato mixed silage had no internal disease. These results suggest that potato mixed silage, which has less lysine content accumulated in intramuscular fat, imparts little or no health effect on fattening pigs.
