Inclusion of non-toxic sulfur in the diet positively affects daily growth, serum lipid profile and meat quality in finishing pigs

The present study investigated the effect of non-toxic sulfur (NTS) on the performance, lipid profile, and meat quality of finishing pigs. Ninety-days-old crossbred castrated male pigs [Duroc x (Yorkshire × Landrace)] with an average body weight (BW) of 50.1 ± 2.2 kg were randomly assigned to three treatment groups on the basis of BW. Each treatment had 60 pigs arranged in 12 replicates of 5 pigs for a 10-week trial. The dietary treatments consisted of a corn - soybean meal basal diet (CON); and a basal diet supplemented with NTS at 2 g/kg (NTS2) or 4 g/kg feed (NTS4). An increase (linear effect, P < 0.05) in BW during days 35 and 70 and an increase in average daily gain (ADG) (linear effect, P < 0.05) were observed in pigs fed increasing level of NTS during days 1–35 and 36–70 as well as during the overall experiment period (day 1–70). The inclusion of increasing level of NTS reduced serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (linear effect, P < 0.05) and increased (linear effect, P < 0.05) serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol concentrations at days 35 and 70, respectively. At day 70, the backfat and lean percentage were increased (linear effect, P < 0.05) as the level of NTS increased in the diet. A linear reduction (P < 0.05) in cooking loss and drip loss at day 7 of meat sample storage was elicited by increasing dietary NTS levels. A linear increase (P < 0.05) in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) in the loin muscle and a linear increase (P < 0.05) in oleic acid, linoleic acid, DHA, and PUFA concentrations were observed in the meat sample of belly fat obtained from pigs receiving an increasing NTS level. In conclusion, positive effects of NTS were observed in body weight, daily gain, lipid profile and meat quality, suggesting that 4 g/kg non-toxic sulfur is beneficial for pigs.