PERFORMANCE AND CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS OF SWINE WHEN FED DIETS CONTAINING CANOLA OIL AND ADDED COPPER TO ALTER THE UNSATURATED - SATURATED RATIO OF PORK FAT

A 3 x 2 trial was conducted to determine the effects of adding canola oil (0, 5, or 10%) and copper sulfate (0 or 250 ppm Cu) to diets of growing-finishing swine on performance, carcass characteristics, and carcass fat fatty acid composition. The trial used 180 pigs (27 kg). Grower diets (.80% lysine for 0% canola oil diet) were given from 27 to 57 kg of BW and finisher diets (.64% lysine) from 57 to 102 kg. Diets were formulated to constant ME:lysine ratio within the grower and finisher phases. Over the entire growing-finishing period, the addition of canola oil to the diets resulted in linear improvements in rate of gain (P < .05) and feed efficiency (P < .01). Dietary additions of canola oil had no effect (P > .10) on resulting backfat thickness or longissimus muscle area but resulted in reductions (P < .01) in loin marbling and color and carcass fat firmness, mostly noted in pigs fed the diets with 10% canola oil. Canola oil additions at 5 and 10% levels, respectively, resulted in a 23 and 37% reduction (P < .01) in saturated fatty acids, 3 and 8% increase (P < .01) in monounsaturated fatty acids, and 37 and 77% increase (P < .01) in polyunsaturated fatty acids in the carcass fat compared with the diets without canola oil. The addition of canola oil to diets of growing-finishing swine had a favorable influence on animal performance and on increasing the unsaturated: saturated ratio of the carcass fat. However, some detrimental effects on carcass characteristics were noted, in particular with carcass fat firmness. There was no evidence of an additive influence of dietary copper sulfate addition, at a level of 250 ppm of Cu, on animal performance, carcass fat fatty acid profile, or carcass characteristics.