The effects of perilla meal feeding on the growth, carcass characteristics, and fatty acid composition of lipid and muscle tissues of fattening pigs were investigated. Thirty-one three-way crossbred pigs (Landrace×Large White×Duroc) were used. Initially, during the growth stage, all were fed the same feed for fattening to increase their weight from approximately 30 to 65 kg. The pigs were then divided into 4 groups. For the finishing stage, pigs were fed 10% perilla meal (8 pigs : 10% group), 15% perilla meal (8 pigs : 15% group), 20% perilla meal (7 pigs : 20% group), and no perilla meal (8 pigs : control group) until they reached a body weight of approximately 110 kg.
The 10% group required the least amount of time to reach the target weight, with a significant difference seen between the 10% group and the 15% group, and the 10% group and the 20% group (P<0.05), respectively. Furthermore, the 10% group showed the highest value for daily gain, with a significant difference seen between the 10% group and 15% group, and the 10% group and 20% group (P<0.05), respectively.
As for dressed carcass percentage, the control group had the highest value, with a significant difference seen between the control group and the 15% group (P<0.05). Furthermore, for the back fat thickness of the shoulder, the 20% group had the thinnest among the experimental groups, with a significant difference between the 20% and 15% groups (P<0.05). In addition, for the back fat thickness of the middle, the 15% group had the thinnest among the experimental groups, with a significant difference between the control group and 15% group (P<0.05).
Regarding the fatty acid composition of perienal fat, back fat, intermuscular fat, and intramuscular fat, as the amount of added perilla meal increased, the content of C18 : 3 increased while the ratio of n-6/n-3 decreased. Furthermore, the ratio of C18 : 2/C18 : 0 and unsaturated fatty acid content also increased in a dose-dependent manner.

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Fermented milk is thought to benefit health of weaning piglets. However, our knowledge on effects of fermented milk on growth performances of weaning piglets was limited. Thus we decided to conduct this study to evaluate growth performances of weaning piglets fed a diet with fermented milk in comparison with those of pigs fed a commercial mash diet. Twelve piglets weaned at 28 d of age were used in this study. Control group was given a commercial mash diet. Experimental group was given a diet consisted of the control diet and fermented milk in a ratio of 1 : 5 (wt : wt). The feeding experiment was carried out for 3 weeks. The results showed that dry matter intake of the experimental group was significantly higher (P<0.01) than the control group. Average daily gain of experimental group was also significantly higher (P<0.01) than the control group. Apparent digestibilities of dry matter, crude protein and ether extract in the experimental group were significantly higher (P<0.01) than those in the control group. The VFA concentrations and molar proportions of VFA in the feces were not different between the two groups. From these observations, we conclude that feeding fermented milk greatly improves growth performances of weaning piglets.

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