Performance, carcass and meat quality of pigs fed diets with antioxidants and ractopamina

The objective was evaluated the effects of the use of additives antioxidants associated or not with ractopamine in feed for finishing pigs. Were used 51 crossbred pigs, 27 barrows and 24 females with initial weight of 83.38 kg. Three experimental treatments were established based on the inclusion of two complexes to feed: complex 1 (4g de vitamin E + 1g de vitamin C/kg of product) and complex 2 (0.2g de ractopamine + 4g de vitamin E + 2g de vitamin C/kg of product), defining the ration control (free of complexes), ration control + complex 1 (0.1%) and ration control + complex 2 (0.05%). The experimental design was blocked randomically, presenting a factorial model 3x2 (3 treatments and 2 sexes). Were observed difference (P<0.05) for daily feed intake, feed, hot and cold carcass weight to the treatment with ractopamine. The values of vitamin E in meat were higher (P < 0.05) in muscle of animals in groups receiving the vitamin. There was a difference (P < 0.05) in the values of oxidation and marbling in the treatments with antioxidant. The inclusion of ractopamine, with the antioxidants, resulted in improvement in performance and carcass characteristics, and supplementation with the antioxidant, alone, showed improvement in parameters related to meat quality.