Dietary Serine Supplementation Improves Growth Performance, Intramuscular Fat Content, and Composition of Gut Microbes and Metabolites in Growing–Finishing Pigs

Yiting Guo, Fang He, Zhiying Deng, Jie Yin, Guiping Guan (), Zhengjun Xie () and Xihong Zhou ()
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Yiting Guo: College of Animal Science and Technology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China
Fang He: College of Animal Science and Technology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China
Zhiying Deng: College of Animal Science and Technology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China
Jie Yin: College of Animal Science and Technology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China
Guiping Guan: College of Bioscience & Biotechnology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China
Zhengjun Xie: Shuangbaotai Group Co., Ltd., Nanchang 330095, China
Xihong Zhou: Key Laboratory of Agro-Ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China

Agriculture, 2024, vol. 14, issue 3, 1-13

Abstract: Serine is widely involved in antioxidant synthesis, immune response, and fat metabolism. However, it remains unclear whether dietary serine supplementation affects fat deposition in the skeletal muscles of pigs. Thus, we explored the effects of dietary serine supplementation on growth performance, meat quality, and composition of gut microbes and their metabolites in growing–finishing pigs. Forty-eight boars weighing approximately 20 kg were fed either a basal diet or a basal diet supplemented with 0.15% serine. The results showed that dietary serine increased the daily weight gain of pigs and improved serum antioxidant capacity as indicated by the decreased malondialdehyde content and increased glutathione and superoxide dismutase content. Pigs supplemented with serine had better meat quality, as shown by the lower drip loss and higher IMF content. Furthermore, dietary serine increased the relative abundance of Streptococcus and Lactobacillus and decreased the relative abundance of Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1 and Terrisporobacter . Differential microbial metabolites were mostly enriched in metabolic pathways related to lipid synthesis, such as alpha-linolenic acid metabolism and steroid hormone biosynthesis. Correlation analysis showed that the altered metabolites were closely related to the intestinal microbiota. In conclusion, our results suggested that serine serves as a potential additive for improving IMF content in growing–finishing pigs.

Keywords: finishing pig; gut microbe; meat quality; metabolite; serine (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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