Strategie nutrizionali per l'ottimizzazione delle performance produttive del suino Nero Siciliano: effetti del tenore in fibra della dieta sugli indici zootecnici e sulla qualità della carne

The study was carried out on 40 Nero Siciliano fattening pigs, 20 castrated males and 20 females, divided into two homogeneous groups called Moderate Fibre (MF) and High Fibre (HF), rearing in indoor conditions. The trial lasted 105 days. Two diets were formulated to contain two different levels of Neutral Detergent Fibre (NDF): 183 g kg^-1 NDF (MF) and 418 g kg^-1 NDF (HF). The different level of dietary fibre was obtained by administration of meadow hay to the animals of HF group. The quantities of daily NDF intake were for the MF group of 275 g/head/d and for the HF group 1,025 g/head/d, while the quantities of daily CP intake were of 250 g/head/d for each group. Every thirty-six days, the productive performance of the pigs were recorded. At slaughter, Carcass traits were measured and the Compactness Index was calculated. At 24 hours <i>post mortem</i> from the left half-carcass of each animal, one sample of <i>Longissimus lumborum</i> muscle was taken and the physical, chemical and acidic composition were determined. The HF group showed significant lower values for Final Live Weight (MF 110.25 kg vs. HF 99.56 kg; P=0.014) and ADG (MF 260 g/d vs. HF 163 g/d; P=0.008) and significant higher values for Feed Conversion Ratio (MF 6.17 kg/kg vs. HF 14.76 kg/kg; P=0.0005). The MF group showed, as expected, a better Compactness Index (MF 1.12 kg/cm vs. HF 0.95 kg/cm; P=0.003). No significant differences were observed for the physical, chemical and acidic composition of the meat.