Effect of Phaffia rhodozyma on performance, nutrient digestibility, blood characteristics, and meat quality in finishing pigs.

The red yeast, Phaffia rhodozyma (PR), has possible applications as a component of diets for use in the animal industry. Its primary value lies in its content of astaxanthin, which has been shown to be an antioxidant several times more effective than vitamin E. A total of 96 ([Landrace × Yorkshire] × Duroc) crossbred pigs with an initial BW of 58.61 ± 3.05 kg were used in this 10-wk feeding study to determine the effects of PR on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood characteristics, and meat quality in finishing pigs. Pigs were randomly allotted to 1 of 3 corn-soybean meal-based diets supplemented with 0, 0.1, or 0.2% PR. There were 8 replicate pens per treatment with 4 pigs (2 barrows and 2 gilts) per pen. The inclusion of PR linearly improved G:F in the phase 1 (P = 0.02), phase 2 (P = 0.02), and during the overall experimental period (P < 0.01) The DM digestibility was improved in the 0.1% PR treatment in phase 2 (quadratic, P = 0.01). The white blood cell concentration was increased in 0.1% PR group (P < 0.05) during phase 2 (quadratic, P < 0.01) and phase 2 (P = 0.04). The inclusion of graded levels of PR linearly increased (P < 0.01) the pH of LM. The 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances were linearly decreased (P = 0.03) by the supplementation of PR. In conclusion, the inclusion of PR could improve feed efficiency, DM digestibility, and meat quality of the finishing pig.