A feed additive, a nutritional supplement, a feed and application thereof

Abstract

The present application belongs to the field of livestock and poultry breeding and feed processing technology, and particularly relates to a feed additive, a nutritional supplement, a feed and application thereof. The present application provides application of p-coumaric acid in improving carcass and meat quality, improving feed conversion rate, reducing fat deposition of livestock and poultry and improving fat metabolism of livestock and poultry. The results of the examples show that p-coumaric acid can effectively improve the feed conversion efficiency of growing pigs in the growth stage, which provides a reference for reducing feed waste in production and realizing cost reduction and benefit increase of animal husbandry; under the premise of not reducing or even improving the growth performance and slaughter rate of growing and fattening pigs, the p-coumaric acid can reduce the fat thickness, improve the pig carcass rating, improve the meat quality, and is beneficial to realize efficient production of high-quality pork and improve the market competitiveness of pork in China; the p-coumaric acid can also reduce the blood lipids of chickens, reduce fatty liver and reduce subcutaneous fat deposition, maintain normal metabolism of chickens and improve the health of chickens.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of livestock and poultry breeding and feed processing technology, specifically relating to a feed additive, nutritional supplement, feed and its application. Background Technology

[0002] Pork is a major source of meat in most parts of the world, accounting for about 60% of per capita meat consumption in my country. Consumers are paying increasing attention to the quality of pork, and more and more young people want to consume high-quality protein (meat) while minimizing their energy intake. Therefore, pork must appear on the shelf with less subcutaneous fat and high-quality meat to attract consumers.

[0003] The pursuit of production efficiency, emphasizing pig growth rate and feed conversion efficiency, easily leads to poor pork quality, coarse muscle fibers, poor flavor, and a high incidence of substandard meat (drip loss ≥5%). This is especially true as pigs reach market weight, with fattening pigs exceeding 125kg developing excessively thick back fat, resulting in carcass grades mostly between 4 and 5. Therefore, improving lean meat percentage and reducing back fat thickness have become crucial for enhancing the quality and efficiency of the pig farming industry.

[0004] Currently, methods for controlling backfat thickness in pig farming can be broadly categorized into three types: 1. Controlling backfat thickness by reducing the slaughter weight of pigs (≤120 kg). This measure wastes the genetic progress resulting from pig breeding that allows pigs to maintain a high growth rate even after reaching 120 kg, and also reduces carcass weight, dressing percentage, and meat production efficiency; 2. Controlling excessive subcutaneous fat deposition by increasing the content of available amino acids in the diet, but the effect of reducing backfat is less than 6%, and the effect is not very significant; 3. Adding substances that regulate fat metabolism, such as betaine, choline, and carnitine, to the diet, or using fermented feed methods, but the effect is unstable and greatly affected by dietary factors. In particular, fermented feed can even increase subcutaneous fat deposition. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a reliable technology to reduce subcutaneous fat deposition and decrease backfat thickness.

[0005] Meanwhile, for the chicken industry, fat is mainly deposited in the subcutaneous tissue of the abdomen (abdominal fat), internal organs (visceral fat), and liver (fatty liver). Excessive fat deposition seriously reduces the edible value of broilers and also wastes feed. In particular, fatty liver in chickens disrupts the normal metabolism of chickens, which can damage the health, growth, and egg production rate of chickens in mild cases, and cause death in severe cases. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to develop an effective and safe feed additive that can significantly reduce fat deposition in livestock and poultry, and to protect the application of coumaric acid as a functional nutritional regulator in livestock and poultry feed preparation and breeding.

[0007] To address the aforementioned technical problems, the present invention proposes the following technical solution:

[0008] This invention provides the application of coumaric acid in improving the quality of livestock and poultry carcasses and meat, increasing daily weight gain and feed conversion rate, reducing fat deposition in livestock and poultry, and improving fat metabolism in livestock and poultry, or in one or more of these aspects.

[0009] Preferably, the improvement of livestock carcass and meat quality includes at least one of the following applications:

[0010] 1) Reduce fat thickness and improve carcass grade;

[0011] 2) Improve flesh tone rating;

[0012] 3) Improve the water resistance of meat-based systems;

[0013] 4) Reduce dripping water loss from meat.

[0014] Preferably, the reduction of fat thickness includes reducing back fat thickness; the reduction of back fat thickness includes, but is not limited to, reducing the back fat thickness at the thickest point of the shoulder, reducing the back fat thickness between the 6th and 7th ribs, reducing the back fat thickness at the 10th rib, reducing the back fat thickness at the last rib, reducing the back fat thickness at the lumbosacral junction, and reducing one or more of the average back fat thickness; the improvement of meat color score includes reducing the yellowness value of the meat and / or increasing the redness value of the meat.

[0015] Preferably, the improvement of daily weight gain and feed conversion rate includes, but is not limited to, reducing the feed conversion ratio and / or increasing the average daily weight gain; the reduction of fat deposition in livestock includes: reducing the size of abdominal fat cells, reducing liver weight and / or reducing liver lipid deposition; the improvement of fat metabolism in livestock includes reducing serum cholesterol and / or triglyceride levels.

[0016] Preferably, the livestock and poultry include pigs and / or chickens; the pigs include fattening pigs; the pigs include piglets and / or fattening pigs; and the chickens include laying hens.

[0017] Preferably, when applied, the dosage form of p-coumaric acid includes any one or more of powder, granules, and liquid.

[0018] This invention provides a feed additive or feed, comprising: p-coumaric acid and corresponding excipients or basal diet.

[0019] The present invention provides a nutritional supplement comprising: a liquid preparation containing p-coumaric acid, which is administered to animals orally or via drinking water.

[0020] The present invention provides the application of the feed additives or feeds or the nutritional supplements described in the above technical solutions in improving the quality of livestock and poultry meat, increasing daily weight gain and feed conversion rate, reducing fat deposition in livestock and poultry, and improving fat metabolism in livestock and poultry.

[0021] The present invention provides a method for improving carcass and meat quality and / or livestock and poultry fat metabolism, comprising: feeding livestock and poultry with p-coumaric acid as a feed additive or nutritional supplement.

[0022] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0023] This invention provides the application of p-coumaric acid in improving carcass and meat quality, increasing daily weight gain and feed conversion rate, reducing fat deposition in livestock and poultry, and improving fat metabolism in livestock and poultry, or in two or more other ways. p-Coumaric acid is a natural phenolic acid compound. Its resonantly stable phenolic radical structure endows it with strong antioxidant capacity, capable of scavenging various free radicals such as hydrogen peroxide and superoxide radicals, inhibiting free radical generating enzymes, and simultaneously increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes. Reports indicate that p-coumaric acid also possesses various biological functions, including regulating immunity, adjusting intestinal microbiota structure, and enhancing the body's stress resistance. This invention, by supplementing livestock and poultry feed and / or drinking water with a certain dose of p-coumaric acid, can significantly reduce backfat thickness in pigs, improve carcass grade, and enhance the carcass and meat quality of fattening pigs; it can significantly reduce the feed conversion ratio and increase the average daily weight gain of pigs, thereby improving feed conversion efficiency; it can significantly reduce the size of abdominal fat cells, decrease liver weight, and reduce liver lipid deposition, as well as reduce subcutaneous fat deposition in chickens and pigs; and it can significantly reduce serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels, improving fat metabolism in livestock and poultry. The results of the embodiments of this invention show that adding p-coumaric acid to the basal diet of pigs can effectively improve the feed conversion efficiency of growing and fattening pigs, providing a reference for cost reduction and efficiency improvement in animal husbandry; adding p-coumaric acid to the basal diet, without affecting the hot carcass weight and slaughter rate of growing and fattening pigs, can reduce backfat thickness, improve meat color score, increase meat water-binding capacity, reduce drip loss, and improve carcass grade, thus improving meat quality and facilitating the efficient production of high-quality pork, enhancing the market competitiveness of pork in my country. Furthermore, this invention demonstrates that supplementing chicken feed or drinking water with a certain dose of p-coumaric acid can reduce blood lipids, liver weight, fatty liver, and subcutaneous fat deposition in chickens, thereby helping to maintain normal metabolism and improve their health, growth, and egg production. In summary, the p-coumaric acid provided by this invention has promising applications in improving livestock and poultry farming methods. Attached Figure Description

[0024] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0025] Figure 1 To supplement the results of the study on the effect of coumaric acid on the morphology of adipocytes in the subcutaneous adipose tissue of pig back (n=8);

[0026] Figure 2 To supplement the results of the study on the effect of coumaric acid on the morphology of adipocytes in the subcutaneous adipose tissue of pig back (n=8);

[0027] Figure 3 Effects of dietary supplementation with coumaric acid on serum triglyceride and total cholesterol levels in chickens (n=8) - Results (Figure);

[0028] Figure 4 Effects of dietary supplementation with coumaric acid on the morphology of adipocytes in subcutaneous adipose tissue of chicken abdomen (n=6) - Results (Figure);

[0029] Figure 5 The effect of dietary supplementation on coumaric acid on chicken liver quality (n=15~16) and fat infiltration (n=6) is shown in the figure.

[0030] Figure 6 This is a product information image for sugarcane extract. Detailed Implementation

[0031] This invention provides the application of coumaric acid in improving the quality of livestock and poultry carcasses and meat, increasing daily weight gain and feed conversion rate, reducing fat deposition in livestock and poultry, and improving fat metabolism in livestock and poultry, or in one or more of these aspects.

[0032] In nature, p-coumaric acid is widely found in almost all plants, primarily as a component of the framework structure of acid-washed lignin. These include vegetables (such as tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, and garlic), fruits (such as grapes and apples), grains (such as wheat, oats, rice, peanuts, and corn), and traditional Chinese medicine, with legumes being particularly abundant. The p-coumaric acid condensed in the acid-washed lignin structure cannot be directly utilized by animals. Although microbial fermentation in the intestines can release 0.1–1 mg / kg of free p-coumaric acid from lignin, its biological effects on animals are negligible.

[0033] This invention relates to coumaric acid, chemically named 2-pyranone-5-carboxylic acid, CAS number 501-98-4. The source of the coumaric acid is not specifically limited in this invention. In a specific embodiment, the coumaric acid was purchased from Shanghai Jieshikai Biotechnology Co., Ltd., and its effective content is ≥98%. Coumaric acid has been used in cosmetics and agricultural production due to its antioxidant, antibacterial, and cardiovascular disease prevention functions, and plays a role in the medical field as an intermediate in drug synthesis. Currently, there is no research on the application of coumaric acid in livestock and poultry farming, and no reports of its application in pig farming have been found. This invention adds coumaric acid to feed, effectively improving feed conversion efficiency in growing-finishing pigs, reducing backfat thickness in finishing pigs, and improving water-holding capacity of pork, without changing carcass weight or dressing percentage, thus improving overall meat quality and showing great application potential. This invention applies coumaric acid to chicken farming, which can reduce blood lipids, liver weight, and fatty liver in chickens, thereby helping to maintain normal metabolism and improve chicken health, growth, and egg production.

[0034] As an optional embodiment of the present invention, the improvement of livestock and poultry carcass and meat quality includes at least one of the following applications: 1) reducing fat thickness and improving carcass grade; 2) improving meat color score; 3) improving meat water-holding capacity; 4) reducing drip loss of meat.

[0035] This invention adds p-coumaric acid to livestock and poultry feed, which can significantly reduce fat thickness and improve carcass grade. In this invention, reducing fat thickness includes reducing backfat thickness; this reduction includes, but is not limited to, reducing the backfat thickness at the thickest point of the shoulder, reducing the backfat thickness between the 6th and 7th ribs, reducing the backfat thickness at the 10th rib, reducing the backfat thickness at the last rib, reducing the backfat thickness at the lumbosacral junction, and reducing one or more of the average backfat thickness. This invention improves carcass grade by reducing fat thickness and increasing the lean meat index.

[0036] This invention adds p-coumaric acid to livestock and poultry feed, which can significantly improve the meat color score. In this invention, improving the meat color score includes reducing the yellowness value of the meat and / or increasing the redness value of the meat.

[0037] This invention adds p-coumaric acid to livestock and poultry feed, which can significantly improve the water-binding capacity of meat. The results of the embodiments of this invention show that adding p-coumaric acid to pig feed can significantly improve the water-binding capacity of pork.

[0038] This invention adds p-coumaric acid to livestock and poultry feed, which can significantly reduce drip loss in meat. The results of the embodiments of this invention show that adding p-coumaric acid to pig feed can significantly reduce drip loss in meat, thereby reducing the loss of nutrients in the meat due to drip loss, including flavor compounds and flavor precursors, thus helping to improve the edible quality of the meat.

[0039] As an optional embodiment of the present invention, the improvement of daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio includes reducing the feed conversion ratio and / or increasing the average daily weight gain. The livestock and poultry include pigs and / or chickens; the pigs include piglets and / or finishing pigs. The results of the embodiments of the present invention show that adding p-coumaric acid to the basal diet of pigs helps to increase the average daily weight gain of pigs, reduce the feed conversion ratio, and thus improve feed conversion ratio.

[0040] As an optional embodiment of the present invention, the reduction of fat deposition in livestock and poultry includes: reducing the size of abdominal fat cells, reducing liver weight, and / or reducing lipid deposition in the liver. Results from embodiments of the present invention show that feeding p-coumaric acid to fattening pigs can reduce the cross-sectional area of ​​fat cells in the subcutaneous adipose tissue of the pig's back; feeding p-coumaric acid to older laying hens can significantly reduce the cross-sectional area of ​​abdominal fat cells in older laying hens, reduce the weight of the liver in older laying hens, and reduce lipid deposition in the liver.

[0041] As an optional embodiment of the present invention, the improvement of livestock and poultry fat metabolism includes reducing the cholesterol and / or triglyceride content in the serum of livestock and poultry.

[0042] As an optional embodiment of the present invention, the livestock and poultry include pigs and / or chickens; the pigs include fattening pigs; the chickens include laying hens; and the laying hens include older laying hens. The present invention does not specifically limit the period of feeding p-coumaric acid. The present invention uses p-coumaric acid as a feed additive to feed pigs during the fattening period and to feed chickens as a feed additive during the older laying period, for the purpose of demonstrating the effect of p-coumaric acid. In practical applications, the application period of p-coumaric acid is not limited to the fattening period and piglet period of pigs or the older period of chickens.

[0043] As an optional embodiment of the present invention, when applied, the dosage form of p-coumaric acid includes any one or more of powder, granules and liquid.

[0044] This invention provides a feed additive or feed, comprising p-coumaric acid and corresponding excipients or basal diets. In this invention, the feed additive can be p-coumaric acid and corresponding excipients. This invention does not specifically limit the type of excipient; any excipient conventional in the art can be used. This invention does not specifically limit the dosage form of the feed additive; any dosage form conventional in the art can be used. As an optional embodiment of this invention, the dosage form can be any one or more of powder, granules, and liquid. This invention does not specifically limit the preparation method of different dosage forms of p-coumaric acid preparations; any preparation method conventional in the art can be used.

[0045] As an optional embodiment of the present invention, the feed additive can be fed by adding it to the feed ration. In the present invention, the p-coumaric acid, as the effective ingredient of the feed additive, is fed in amounts according to the different feeding habits of different livestock and poultry. As an optional embodiment of the present invention, when p-coumaric acid is used as a feed additive to feed pigs, the amount of p-coumaric acid added per 1 kg of feed can be 250-1000 mg, or 400-650 mg, or 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950 or 1000 mg; when p-coumaric acid is used as a feed additive to feed chickens, the amount of p-coumaric acid added per 1 kg of feed can be adjusted according to the relative ratio of feed intake and body surface area between chickens and pigs, and can be 50-200 mg, or 50, 100, 150 or 200 mg.

[0046] The feed additive provided by this invention is beneficial for the production of high-quality pork and helps improve the market competitiveness of pork in my country. As an optional embodiment of this invention, the p-coumaric acid described herein can be used alone or in combination with other feed additives. This invention does not impose any particular limitation on the preparation method of the feed additive; conventional methods are sufficient.

[0047] In this invention, the feed comprises p-coumaric acid and a basal diet. As an optional embodiment of this invention, the p-coumaric acid content in the feed varies depending on the livestock species. As an optional embodiment of this invention, the amount of p-coumaric acid added to each 1 kg of basal diet can be 100-1000 mg, or 100, 200, 250, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, or 1000 mg. This invention does not impose any special limitations on the composition of the basal diet; a conventional basal diet composition is sufficient. As an optional embodiment of the present invention, when the feed is used as pig feed, it can be fed on an ad libitum basis; the amount of coumaric acid added to the basal diet of the feed can be 250-1000 mg / kg, or 500 mg / kg; the feed can be fed during the fattening period; the daily feeding amount of the feed can be 3.0 kg; the feeding cycle is 40-45 days, more preferably 42 days. The present invention provides a short feeding time and good effect for coumaric acid as a feed additive. As an optional embodiment of the present invention, when the feed is used as chicken feed, it can be fed on an ad libitum basis; the amount of coumaric acid added to the basal diet of the feed can be 50-200 mg / kg, or 50, 100, 150, or 200 mg / kg; the feed can be used to feed older laying hens; the feeding cycle can be 70 days.

[0048] This invention provides a nutritional supplement comprising a liquid formulation containing p-coumaric acid, administered to animals orally or via drinking water. As an optional embodiment of this invention, the preparation method of the liquid p-coumaric acid formulation may be as follows: p-coumaric acid is added to water according to a specified ratio, and an appropriate concentration of sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide solution, or other organic alkali that can react with p-coumaric acid, is slowly added while stirring until the p-coumaric acid is completely dissolved in the water. The pH of the solution is then adjusted to 6.4-7.2 to obtain a liquid p-coumaric acid formulation. In this invention, the molar ratio of p-coumaric acid to the alkali can be 1:1. Deionized water is preferably used to dissolve the mixture of p-coumaric acid and the alkali. Dissolution is preferably accompanied by stirring; the stirring is preferably performed until the p-coumaric acid is completely dissolved. As an optional embodiment of this invention, the mass fraction of p-coumaric acid in the p-coumaric acid solution can be 0.1%-0.3%, or 0.2%. After obtaining the p-coumaric acid solution, the pH value of the p-coumaric acid solution can be adjusted to 7.0 using a 0.1M KH₂PO₄ / KH₂PO₄ solution to prepare a p-coumaric acid nutritional supplement. This nutritional supplement can be fed by adding it to drinking water. When the nutritional supplement of this invention is added to drinking water, the concentration of p-coumaric acid is adjusted according to the amount of drinking water to meet the daily requirement by adding a liquid preparation containing p-coumaric acid.

[0049] This invention provides the application of the feed additives or feeds or nutritional supplements described in the above-mentioned technical solutions in improving livestock and poultry meat quality, increasing daily weight gain and feed conversion rate, reducing livestock and poultry body fat deposition, and improving fat metabolism, or in any two or more of these areas. As an optional embodiment of this invention, the livestock and poultry include pigs and / or chickens; the pigs include fattening pigs and / or piglets. The chickens include laying hens; the laying hens include older laying hens. In this invention, improving livestock and poultry meat quality includes reducing fat thickness, improving meat color score, reducing drip loss, and improving meat water-binding capacity, or in any two or more of these areas.

[0050] This invention provides a method for improving the quality of livestock and poultry meat and / or the fat metabolism of livestock and poultry by feeding livestock and poultry with p-coumaric acid as a feed additive or nutritional supplement.

[0051] To further illustrate the present invention, the technical solutions provided by the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the embodiments, but they should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0052] Detection indicators and methods in the following embodiments

[0053] 1. Carcass characteristics

[0054] After the experiment, eight pigs close to the average weight of their group were selected from each treatment and transported to the slaughterhouse. After being stunned by electric shock, the pigs were bled, steam-dried, rinsed, split in half, and had their white and red viscera removed, head, hooves, and tail removed, in accordance with the "Livestock and Poultry Slaughter Operation Procedures for Pigs" GB / T 17236-2019. The carcass characteristics were then measured. The hot carcass weight was recorded on the slaughter line, and the dressing percentage was calculated based on the live weight.

[0055] Back fat thickness was measured using calipers at the thickest point of the left shoulder, the 6th-7th rib, the 10th rib, the last rib, and the lumbosacral junction. The average back fat thickness and lean meat index were calculated. The length and width of the cross-sectional area of ​​the longissimus dorsi muscle at the last rib were measured, and the average back fat thickness, eye muscle area, and lean meat index were calculated using the following formula.

[0056] Average back fat thickness = (thickest back fat at the shoulder + back fat at the last rib + back fat at the waist-sacral junction) / 3. Average back fat thickness is the average back fat thickness at three points.

[0057] Eye muscle area (cm) 2 = Eye muscle length (cm) × Eye muscle width (cm) × 0.7;

[0058] Lean meat index = 50.767 + (0.035 × hot carcass weight (lbs)) - (8.979 × last rib back fat thickness (inches)).

[0059] 2. Morphological observation of adipose tissue

[0060] H&E staining of adipocytes in tissue sections

[0061] Adipose tissue samples were fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde for at least 48 hours. The fixed tissue was trimmed, placed in an embedding cassette, rinsed with running water for 24 hours, dehydrated sequentially with a gradient of alcohols, and then cleared in xylene. The xylene soaking time was adjusted according to the tissue's clarity. After complete clearing, the tissue was embedded in paraffin for more than 3 hours, then allowed to cool before demolding. The microtome was adjusted to a thickness of 5 µm for sectioning. The sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and mounted with neutral resin to prepare standard H&E stained tissue sections. Images were acquired using image analysis software to observe tissue morphological changes; the cross-sectional size and number of abdominal fat cells were statistically analyzed using ImageJ software.

[0062] 3. Meat quality

[0063] Meat quality was assessed on-site after slaughter. Marbling and color were scored for the longissimus dorsi muscle according to the NPPC (1999) scoring card. The color and pH of the longissimus dorsi muscle were measured at 45 min post-slaughter using a meat color meter (CR410, Minolta, Japan) and a pH meter (Testo250, Germany), and a second measurement was performed at 24 h post-slaughter.

[0064] After slaughter, take about 100g of meat sample from the 10th to 12th ribs, put it into a sample bag, and hang it in a 4℃ environment for 24 hours. Record the weight of the meat sample before and after hanging and calculate the drip loss based on the lost moisture.

[0065] The method for determining cooking loss is as follows: place approximately 100 g of meat sample in a sealed bag, cook at 75°C for 30 min, record the weight of the meat sample before and after cooking, and calculate the cooking loss based on the lost moisture.

[0066] After the cooked meat sample cooled, the shear force was measured using a muscle tenderness tester (C-LM3B, Tenovo, China).

[0067] Unless otherwise specified, the test methods used in the following implementation schemes are conventional methods.

[0068] Unless otherwise specified, all materials and reagents used in the following implementation schemes are commercially available.

[0069] Unless otherwise specified, all percentages in the following examples refer to mass percentages.

[0070] Data from Example 1 showed that supplementing the diet with appropriate amounts of sugarcane extract and ferulic acid did not improve the growth performance, backfat thickness, or meat quality of pigs; only p-coumaric acid effectively reduced backfat thickness. Therefore, Example 2 specifically elucidated the function of p-coumaric acid in reducing backfat thickness and improving pork quality; Example 3 further expanded the sample size to re-verify the function of p-coumaric acid. Details are as follows.

[0071] The effective content of p-coumaric acid used in the following examples is ≥98%.

[0072] Example 1

[0073] 1. Experimental Design

[0074] This experiment selected 400 pigs weighing approximately 98 kg. They were randomly divided into 4 treatments, with 4 pens per treatment and approximately 25 pigs per pen. The basal diet is shown in Table 1.

[0075] Treatment 1 (paracoumaric acid group): 250 mg / kg of paracoumaric acid was added to the basal diet. The paracoumaric acid was purchased from Shanghai Jieshikai Biotechnology Co., Ltd., and the effective content of paracoumaric acid was ≥98%.

[0076] Treatment 2 (Ferulic Acid Group): 250 mg / kg of ferulic acid was added to the basal diet; the ferulic acid was purchased from Zhengzhou Best Food Additives Co., Ltd., with a purity of 99%.

[0077] Treatment 3 (Sugarcane Extract Group): 0.1% by weight of sugarcane extract was added to the basal diet. The sugarcane extract was purchased from Shanyang Lianfeng Biotechnology Co., Ltd. The sugarcane extract contained 10.29% sugarcane polyphenols, including gallic acid, syringic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, vanillin, sinapic acid, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, vanillic acid, geraniol, apigenin, vitexin, styracin, isostyracin, styracin, zeaxanthin, (+)-catechin, (-)-epicatechin, quercetin, kaempferol, myricetin, rutin, luteolin, and cytisine, etc.

[0078] Treatment 4 (control group): fed with a basal diet.

[0079] During the feeding trial, pigs in treatments 1-4 were allowed free access to feed and water for 42 days. Daily feed intake was recorded, and pigs were weighed at the end of the trial to calculate growth performance. After the trial, two castrated boars close to the average weight of their pen were selected from each pen, with eight boars selected from each treatment, for a total of 32 pigs. These were then slaughtered to measure carcass traits and meat quality.

[0080] Table 1. Composition and Nutritional Levels of the Basal Diet

[0081]

[0082] Note: The vitamin and trace element premix provides the following per kilogram of diet: Vitamin A, 6450 IU; Vitamin D3, 2250 IU; Vitamin E, 18 IU; Vitamin K3, 1.5 mg; Vitamin B1, 1.65 mg; Vitamin B2, 6 mg; Vitamin B6, 3 mg; Vitamin B12, 0.12 mg; Biotin, 0.16 mg; Folic acid, 1.95 mg; Pantothenic acid, 13.95 mg; Niacin, 19.5 mg; Copper (CuCl2), 12.51 mg; Iron (FeSO4·H2O), 105 mg; Manganese (MnSO4·H2O), 41.48 mg; Zinc (ZnSO4·H2O), 61.66 mg; Iodine (Ca(IO3)2), 0.33 mg; Selenium (Na2SeO3), 0.38 mg.

[0083] 2. Data Statistics

[0084] The differences between the treatment groups and the control group were analyzed using the Dunnett t-test (two-tailed) general linear model in SPSS statistical software. P <0.05 indicates a significant difference.

[0085] 3. Test Results

[0086] The results showed that dietary supplementation with p-coumaric acid had no effect on the growth performance of finishing pigs (Table 2), but significantly reduced the growth of the last ribs (in pigs). P =0.03) back fat thickness and waist-sacral junction ( P =0.04) back fat thickness, which reduces the back fat thickness by 6-7 ribs ( P =0.07) back fat thickness and three-point even fat distribution ( P The trend of backfat thickness (=0.07) also numerically reduced the backfat thickness at the thickest point of the shoulder, increasing the lean meat index by 1 percentage point (Table 3). According to the market standard for pork carcasses (carcass grade), a tail fat thickness of less than 25mm is considered Grade 1 carcass. Especially given the market's requirement for low backfat thickness in large-weight pigs, the coumaric acid group had the lowest tail fat thickness and the lowest additive cost, making it the most cost-effective option overall. In this example, no effect of coumaric acid on pork quality was observed at an additive dosage of 250mg / kg (Table 4).

[0087] Supplementing the diet with 250 ppm of the same dose of ferulic acid or sugarcane extract had no significant effect on the growth performance, carcass quality (such as backfat thickness at various points), or meat quality of pigs.

[0088] In summary, Example 1 compared several additives, including p-coumaric acid, that could potentially reduce backfat thickness in pigs and improve growth performance and meat quality. The results showed that, at the same additive level, p-coumaric acid exhibited the greatest advantage. Therefore, in subsequent examples, we investigated the effects of different amounts of p-coumaric acid on backfat thickness (carcass quality) and meat quality in fattening pigs.

[0089] Table 2 Effects of dietary supplementation with sugarcane extract and its components on the growth performance of finishing pigs

[0090]

[0091] Table 3 Effects of dietary supplementation with sugarcane extract and its components on carcass morphology of finishing pigs ( n =8)

[0092]

[0093] Table 4. Effects of dietary supplementation with sugarcane extract and its components on the quality of fattening pork ( n =8)

[0094]

[0095] Note: L 45 min This represents the brightness value of pork 45 minutes after slaughter; a 45 min b represents the redness value of pork 45 minutes after slaughter; 45 min L represents the yellowness value of pork 45 minutes after slaughter. 24 h Represents the brightness value of pork 24 hours after slaughter; a 24 h b represents the redness value of pork 24 hours after slaughter. 24 h This represents the yellowness value of the pork after slaughter. The same applies below.

[0096] Example 2

[0097] 1. Materials and Methods

[0098] 1.1 Feeding program design and daily ration

[0099] Three hundred and eighty-four Duroc × Landrace × Large White three-way crossbred growing-finishing pigs with a starting weight of 110.37 ± 0.06 kg were selected and randomly divided into four treatment groups according to their starting weight. Each treatment had six replicates (pens), with 16 pigs per pen, half male and half female.

[0100] Treatment group 1 was fed a basal diet (control group);

[0101] Treatment group 2 was fed a basal diet and p-coumaric acid, with 250 mg of p-coumaric acid added per 1 kg of basal diet;

[0102] Treatment group 3 was fed a basal diet and p-coumaric acid, with 500 mg of p-coumaric acid added per 1 kg of basal diet;

[0103] Treatment group 4 was fed a basal diet and p-coumaric acid, with 1000 mg of p-coumaric acid added per 1 kg of basal diet;

[0104] The specific method for mixing the basal diet and p-coumaric acid is as follows: weigh out the corresponding weight of p-coumaric acid and mix it thoroughly with the basal diet to obtain treatment diets containing different levels of p-coumaric acid. The composition and nutrient levels of the basal diet are shown in Table 5.

[0105] The experimental animals had free access to food and water, and the experimental period was 42 days.

[0106] Table 5. Composition and nutrient levels of the basal diet

[0107]

[0108] Note: The vitamin and trace element premix provides the following per kilogram of diet: Vitamin A, 6450 IU; Vitamin D3, 2250 IU; Vitamin E, 18 IU; Vitamin K3, 1.5 mg; Vitamin B1, 1.65 mg; Vitamin B2, 6 mg; Vitamin B6, 3 mg; Vitamin B12, 0.12 mg; Biotin, 0.16 mg; Folic acid, 1.95 mg; Pantothenic acid, 13.95 mg; Niacin, 19.5 mg; Copper (CuCl2), 12.51 mg; Iron (FeSO4·H2O), 105 mg; Manganese (MnSO4·H2O), 41.48 mg; Zinc (ZnSO4·H2O), 61.66 mg; Iodine (Ca(IO3)2), 0.33 mg; Selenium (Na2SeO3), 0.38 mg.

[0109] 1.2 Feeding and Management

[0110] The experiment was conducted at Guizhou Fuzhiyuan Technology (Group) Co., Ltd., using a semi-closed rearing model. The pigsties were equipped with adjustable stainless steel feed troughs and nipple drinkers, with temperature, humidity, and ventilation intensity manually controlled, maintaining the temperature at approximately 20℃. Throughout the experiment, growing and finishing pigs were guaranteed free access to feed and water, and all operations strictly adhered to the pig farm's feeding and management regulations. At the beginning and end of the experiment, all pigs were fasted for 12 hours before being weighed. Feed was collected weekly by pen during the experiment. After the experiment, pigs were weighed and their feed collected by pen (n = 6), and the average daily weight gain, average daily feed intake, and feed conversion ratio were calculated. Growth performance was assessed, and the results are shown in Table 6. Subsequently, 1-2 castrated boars close to the average weight of each pen were selected, with 8 boars selected for each treatment (n = 8), for a total of 32 pigs. Carcass traits and meat quality were then measured. Carcass trait results are shown in Table 7, and finishing pork quality results are shown in Table 8.

[0111] 1.3 Statistical Analysis

[0112] Linear and quadratic regression analyses were performed using the General Linear Model (GLM) program in SAS 9.4 statistical software, and multiple comparisons were conducted using Tukey's method.

[0113] 2 Results

[0114] 2.1 Growth performance

[0115] Table 6. Effects of dietary supplementation on coumaric acid levels on growth performance of finishing pigs ( n = 6)

[0116]

[0117] Note: There are significant differences between the different letters in the a and b shoulder inscriptions. P <0.05).

[0118] As shown in Table 6, feeding pigs with added p-coumaric acid during the fattening period showed a linear trend in increasing the final weight of fattening pigs. P Linear = 0.07), linearly increased the average daily weight gain of finishing pigs (P Linear = 0.04), linearly reducing the feed conversion ratio of finishing pigs ( P Linear = 0.03), showing a trend of decreasing average daily feed intake twice ( P Quadratic = 0.10).

[0119] 2.2 Carcass characteristics

[0120] Table 7 Effects of dietary supplementation on coumaric acid levels on carcass traits of finishing pigs ( n = 8)

[0121]

[0122] Note: a,b The differences between the different letters on the shoulder insignia are significant. P <0.05).

[0123] As shown in Table 7, feeding pigs with the feed described in this invention during the fattening period does not affect the carcass weight, dressing percentage, or eye muscle area of ​​fattening pigs, but it can linearly reduce the last rib area of ​​fattening pigs. P Linear <0.01) and average back fat thickness ( P Linear =0.04), a second reduction in back fat thickness at the lumbosacral junction ( P Quadratic <0.01), and linearly increases the lean meat index of fattening pigs ( P Linear <0.01).

[0124] 2.3 such as Figure 1 The results of H&E staining of the subcutaneous adipose tissue on the back of the pig shown indicate that ( Figure 1 (The scale size in the text is 50µm). Supplementing the diet with 250~1000 mg / kg of p-coumaric acid significantly reduced the cross-sectional area of ​​adipocytes in the subcutaneous adipose tissue of the back of pigs.

[0125] 2.4 Meat quality

[0126] Table 8 Effects of dietary supplementation on coumaric acid levels on the quality of fattening pork ( n = 8)

[0127]

[0128] Note: a,b The differences between the different letters on the shoulder insignia are significant. P <0.05). The four treatments were designed with a gradient dose pattern. Therefore, linear and quadratic regression models were used to analyze whether the added substance (p-coumaric acid) had a dose effect. If the p-values ​​for both linear and quadratic regression were not significant, it was considered that there was no dose effect. ANOVA, a variance test, compared pairwise differences. A p-value less than 0.05 indicated that there were differences between the four treatments, and different letters were marked on the preceding means.

[0129] Table 8 shows that supplementing pigs with coumaric acid during the fattening period can reduce the yellowness value (b) of the muscle in fattening pigs a second time. 24 h ( P Quadratic <0.01), with 250 and 500 mg / kg of p-coumaric acid showing better effects; linearly reducing drip loss ( P Linear = 0.02), cooking loss ( P Linear = 0.02), and shear force ( P Linear <0.01), and the optimal addition amount is 1000 mg / kg.

[0130] Example 3

[0131] 1. Materials and Methods

[0132] This experiment was conducted at a commercial pig farm. Four hundred healthy Landrace × Large White crossbred finishing pigs with an initial weight of 83.00 ± 0.16 kg were selected and divided into two treatment groups of 200 pigs each. One group was fed a basal diet, and the other a basal diet containing p-coumaric acid. The p-coumaric acid-containing basal diet was supplemented with 500 mg / kg p-coumaric acid. The basal diet formulation and nutrient composition were the same as in Example 1. The animals had free access to food and water, and the experiment lasted 42 days. At the end of the experiment, 30 pigs from each group were randomly selected for slaughter and analysis.

[0133] The detection indicators and methods are the same as described above. Statistical analysis used Student's t-test (two-tailed) to assess statistical significance. When analyzing the results, P <0.05 indicates a significant difference. P <0.01 indicates a highly significant difference.

[0134] 2 Results

[0135] 2.1 Carcass characteristics

[0136] The effects of dietary supplementation on coumaric acid levels on carcass traits of finishing pigs are shown in Table 9. It can be seen that feeding pigs with the feed described in this invention during the finishing period significantly reduced the thickness of the thickest part of the shoulder in finishing pigs. P <0.01), 6th-7th rib ( P <0.01), last rib ( P =0.03), lumbosacral junction ( P = 0.04) and average back fat thickness ( P <0.01).

[0137] Table 9 Effects of dietary supplementation on coumaric acid levels on carcass traits of finishing pigs ( n = 30)

[0138]

[0139] The effects of dietary supplementation on coumaric acid levels on the quality of fattening pork are shown in Table 10. It can be seen that feeding the aforementioned feed during the fattening period significantly increased the meat color score. P <0.1) and redness value a 45 min ( P <0.01), while significantly reducing pH. 24 h ( P <0.01), yellowness value b 45 min ( P = 0.02) and drip loss ( P <0.01).

[0140] Table 10 Effects of dietary supplementation on coumaric acid levels on the quality of fattening pork ( n = 30)

[0141]

[0142] 2.2 Subcutaneous adipose tissue from the back of pigs was subjected to H&E staining analysis, and the cross-sectional area of ​​adipocytes was statistically analyzed. Figure 2 As shown (scale bar size is 50µm). Figure 2 Figure A shows the H&E staining results of adipocytes in the control group and the p-coumaric acid group; Figure B shows the proportion of adipocytes with different cross-sectional areas in the control group and the p-coumaric acid group; Figure C shows the statistical results of the average area of ​​adipocytes in the control group and the p-coumaric acid group.

[0143] Figure 2 The results showed that supplementing the diet with 500 mg / kg of p-coumaric acid significantly reduced the cross-sectional area of ​​adipocytes in the subcutaneous adipose tissue of the back of pigs.

[0144] Data from Examples 1 and 2 show that paracoumaric acid supplementation has no negative impact on pig growth performance, alleviating producers' primary concern that improved meat quality might reduce pig growth performance. In fact, in this example, supplementation at 500–1000 mg / kg increased daily weight gain and improved feed efficiency. Therefore, Example 3 is not concerned about paracoumaric acid supplementation interfering with pig growth performance, especially since growth performance cannot be rigorously measured in large herds (200 finishing pigs per treatment). Thus, Example 3 focuses on verifying the effects of paracoumaric acid supplementation on pig carcass quality (backfat thickness) and meat quality.

[0145] In summary, the coumaric acid-added feed for fattening pigs described in this invention can reduce backfat thickness and decrease the cross-sectional area of ​​fat cells in the subcutaneous adipose tissue. Simultaneously, it reduces the yellowness value and drip loss of pork, thereby improving pork quality. No negative effects of coumaric acid supplementation on the hot carcass weight and dressing percentage of fattening pigs were observed in the examples.

[0146] In the above technical solutions of this invention, the feeding time of p-coumaric acid to pigs is 42 days, which has achieved corresponding effects in improving the quality of pig carcasses and meat and increasing feed conversion rate. Based on the corresponding technical solutions of this invention, if the feeding or supplementation time of p-coumaric acid is extended, more significant effects should be achieved in improving the quality of pig carcasses and meat and increasing feed conversion rate, and this should also be considered as a key technical solution protected by this invention.

[0147] Example 4

[0148] Adding paracoumaric acid to the diet improves fat metabolism and liver fat deposition in chickens.

[0149] 1. Materials and Methods

[0150] 1.1 Experimental Design and Diet

[0151] Ninety-six 70-week-old laying hens were randomly divided into three treatments, with eight replicates per treatment and four hens per replicate. The experimental period was 70 days. The experimental dietary treatments included a control group (CON) fed a basal diet, a high-fat diet group (HFD) fed a high-fat diet supplemented with lard, and a high-fat diet supplemented with p-coumaric acid (HFD+p-CA) supplemented with 100 mg / kg p-coumaric acid. The composition and nutrient levels of the basal diet are shown in Table 11.

[0152] The experimental animals had free access to food and water, and the experimental period was 70 days.

[0153] Table 11. Composition and nutrient levels of the basal diet (%, basal feeding)

[0154]

[0155] 1.2 Feeding Management and Sample Collection

[0156] The experiment was conducted in the Animal Digestion and Metabolism Laboratory of the College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University. Before the experiment, the chicken coop, feed troughs, and water troughs were cleaned and thoroughly disinfected. The experimental chickens were raised in a closed coop using three-tiered cages, with two chickens per cage. The experimental laying hens were fed dry feed and had free access to feed and water. The coop maintained suitable lighting, ventilation, and humidity. The laying hens' feed intake and mental state were observed daily, and any diseases were treated promptly.

[0157] After the experiment, all experimental chickens underwent blood collection and subsequent slaughter and dissection. Blood samples were centrifuged for 15 minutes, and the supernatant was aliquoted and stored at -80°C for subsequent serum marker detection. For each treatment, six healthy chickens of similar condition were randomly selected. Their livers were photographed and weighed, and liver and abdominal fat tissue of appropriate size from fixed locations were fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde solution for pathological section preparation. Liver and abdominal fat samples were collected and stored at -80°C for biochemical marker detection, gene quantification analysis, and future use. Cecal chyme was collected, flash-frozen in liquid nitrogen, and stored at -80°C for subsequent detection of intestinal short-chain fatty acid content.

[0158] 1.3 Detection Indicators and Methods

[0159] 1.3.1 Detection of lipid metabolism indicators

[0160] The levels of TC and TG in serum were measured using a fully automated biochemical analyzer.

[0161] 1.3.2 H&E staining of tissue sections

[0162] Liver and abdominal fat tissue samples were fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde for at least 48 hours. The fixed tissue was trimmed, placed in an embedding cassette, rinsed with running water for 24 hours, dehydrated sequentially with a gradient of alcohols, and then cleared in xylene. The xylene soaking time was adjusted according to the tissue's clarity. After complete clearing, the tissue was embedded in paraffin for more than 3 hours, then allowed to cool before demolding. The microtome was adjusted to a thickness of 5 µm for sectioning. The sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and mounted with neutral resin to prepare routine H&E-stained tissue sections. Images were acquired using image analysis software to observe tissue morphological changes; the cross-sectional size and number of abdominal fat cells were statistically analyzed using ImageJ software.

[0163] 1.3.3 Statistical Analysis

[0164] Statistical analysis used Student's t-test (two-tailed) to assess statistical significance. When analyzing the results, P < 0.05 indicated a significant difference, and P < 0.01 indicated an extremely significant difference.

[0165] 2 Results

[0166] 2.1 Results of blood lipid metabolism indicators as follows Figure 3 As shown. Figure 3 Figure A shows the effect of different treatment groups on the cholesterol content of chicken serum; Figure B shows the effect of different treatment groups on the triglyceride content of chicken serum.

[0167] Figure 3 The results showed that feeding older laying hens with the feed described in this invention tended to reduce the cholesterol content in their serum (P = 0.06).

[0168] 2.2 Results of adipocyte size detection are as follows Figure 4 As shown (scale bar size is 50µm). Figure 4 Figure A shows the H&E staining results of adipocytes in each treatment group; Figure B shows the proportion of adipocytes with different cross-sectional areas in each treatment group; Figure C shows the statistical results of the average area of ​​adipocytes in each treatment group.

[0169] Depend on Figure 4 It can be seen that feeding older laying hens with the feed described in this invention significantly reduced the cross-sectional area of ​​abdominal fat cells in older laying hens (P = 0.05).

[0170] 2.3 Results of liver lipid deposition detection are as follows Figure 5 As shown (scale size is 100µm). Figure 5 Figure A shows liver images and liver cell observation results for each treatment group; Figure B shows the statistical results of liver weight for each treatment group; Figure C shows the statistical results of liver weight percentage for each treatment group. Wherein: Liver weight (%) = Liver weight / Body weight × 100%.

[0171] Depend on Figure 5 It can be seen that feeding older laying hens with the feed described in this invention significantly reduced the weight of their livers (P<0.01) and reduced lipid deposition in the livers (P = 0.04).

[0172] While the market pays relatively little attention to the meat quality of laying hens, excessive abdominal fat deposition and fatty liver are significant causes of death and culling in both laying hens and broilers. Therefore, in this study, using older laying hens fed a high-fat diet as a model, the effect of coumaric acid supplementation on fat deposition and distribution in chickens was observed.

[0173] Example 5

[0174] Application of coumaric acid in improving the growth performance of piglets

[0175] Because the addition of antibiotic growth promoters to feed is prohibited, ensuring the health and healthy growth of piglets has become a major concern in the pig farming industry. In our preliminary experiments, we found that adding a series of microbial preparations, including prebiotics and postbiotics, to piglet diets had a certain effect. To examine the growth-promoting effect of p-coumaric acid on piglets, we used two representative commercially available microbial fermentation products in this study. These products typically consist of live bacteria, oligosaccharides, acid preparations, enzymes produced by bacterial fermentation, and some nutritional components; they are commonly referred to as postbiotics and prebiotics. We also purchased two well-reputed piglet feed brands (FZH and DBN) as external controls. To protect the interests of the manufacturers of the products used in this study, we have omitted their information here, providing only a reference for comparing the efficacy of p-coumaric acid in piglet diets.

[0176] I. Laboratory Animals, Experimental Diets, and Experimental Design

[0177] This experiment used 360 healthy piglets at 24 days of age, weaned, with an initial weight of 7.16 ± 0.04 kg, and randomly divided them into six treatment groups. Treatment group 1 was fed a basal diet (internal control group); treatment group 2's basal diet was supplemented with microbial fermentation products (postbiotics) (3.0 kg / t as recommended by the provider); treatment group 3's basal diet was supplemented with commercially available prebiotics (0.6 kg / t as recommended by the vendor); treatment group 6's basal diet was supplemented with 0.5 kg / t of p-coumaric acid; treatments 4 and 5 were both commercially available piglet feeds from well-known brands (treatment 4, A commercial feed (FZY) and treatment 5, B commercial feed (DBN)) and served as external control groups.

[0178] Table 12 Feed formulation for the basal diet of internal piglets

[0179]

[0180] The composition of the basal diet for piglets from 0 to 14 days (referred to as creep feed) in this embodiment is detailed in Table 12. The basal diet for piglets in the nursery stage from 15 to 28 days (referred to as nursery feed) consists of 40% concentrate (provided by Beijing Tonglixingke) + 60% corn. Commercial brand piglet feeds A and B (both including creep feed and nursery feed stages) are pelleted throughout the entire process. For treatments 1, 2, 3, and 6, the creep feed for the first 14 days is powder + pellet (50:50 mass ratio); the nursery feed for the last 14 days is powder: 70 pellet (mass ratio). Pelleted feed helps increase piglet feed intake. In order to take into account the bioactivity of the added substances, treatments 1, 2, 3, and 6 are prepared as pellet + powder (the powder is not heated, which is beneficial for supplementing active ingredients that need to be pelleted at a low temperature).

[0181] At the start of the experiment, the initial litter weight of each weaned piglet was measured. Feed consumption was calculated on days 7, 14, 21, and 28, and litter weight was measured on days 14 and 28. The average daily feed intake and average daily weight gain were calculated for the 0-14 day and 15-28 day periods, and the feed conversion ratio for the entire period was calculated. After the start of the experiment, the piglets' fecal condition and health status were observed daily, as were the use and flow of the duckbill waterers and the piglets' water intake. The number of piglets with repeated diarrhea and the number of culled piglets were recorded. Finally, the diarrhea rate and mortality rate of piglets in the 0-14 day and 15-28 day periods were statistically analyzed.

[0182] II. Test Results

[0183] (a) 0-14 days

[0184] As shown in Table 13, there were no significant differences in body weight, average daily weight gain, average daily feed intake, and feed conversion ratio among the experimental groups over 14 days (P>0.05). Numerically, the external control group A (Group 4) had the highest result, with treatment group 3 showing a similar result. Among all experimental groups, Group 3 had the best feed conversion ratio.

[0185] Table 13 Effects of functional additives in feed on the growth performance of weaned piglets during the nursery period (0–14 days)

[0186]

[0187] Note: 1 Basic diet, 2 Supplement with commercially available post-natal vitamins. 3 Supplement with commercially available prebiotic additives, 4 , 5 External commercial brands of piglet feed A and B, 6 Add p-coumaric acid, the same applies below.

[0188] (ii) 15-28 days

[0189] As shown in Table 14, during the 15-28 day period, the daily weight gain of treatments 4 and 6 on day 28 was significantly better than that of treatments 1 and 2, and the average weight was significantly higher than that of treatments 1 and 2 (P<0.05), while there was no significant difference compared with treatments 3, 5 and 6 (P>0.05); the average daily weight gain of treatments 4 and 6 was significantly higher than that of the other groups (P<0.05); the average daily feed intake of treatment 6 was significantly higher than that of treatments 1 and 2 (P<0.05); and the feed consumption-to-weight-gain ratio of treatments 4 and 6 was significantly lower (P<0.05).

[0190] Table 14 Effects of adding functional additives to feed on the growth performance of weaned piglets during the nursery period (15-28 days)

[0191]

[0192] (III) The effects of adding functional additives to feed during the 0-28 day period on the growth performance of weaned piglets during the nursery period are shown in Table 15.

[0193] Table 15 Effects of adding functional additives to feed on the growth performance of weaned piglets during the nursery period (0-28 days)

[0194]

[0195] The results of this embodiment show that, compared with the internal control group (basal diet group), the compound preparation of the basal diet supplemented with two microecological fermentation products, and the external control group B feed, the addition of p-coumaric acid can significantly increase the average daily weight gain and average daily feed intake of piglets aged 0-28 days, and significantly improve the feed conversion ratio. The feed supplemented with p-coumaric acid is comparable to the level of the external control group commercial A feed in terms of improving the growth performance of piglets, and is superior to other groups. Considering the cost of the diet, the piglet diet formulated with p-coumaric acid has the best cost performance.

[0196] For detailed product information on the sugarcane extract used in Example 1, please refer to [link / reference needed]. Figure 6 .

[0197] Although the above embodiments have provided a detailed description of the present invention, they are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. People can obtain other embodiments based on these embodiments without creative effort, and these embodiments all fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. The use of p-coumaric acid in reducing pig back fat and improving carcass grade; The reduction of pig back fat includes any one or more of the following: reduction of shoulder most thick back fat, reduction of 6-7 intercostal back fat, reduction of 10th rib back fat, reduction of last rib back fat, reduction of lumbar-sacral junction back fat, and reduction of average back fat; During use, 250-500 mg of p-coumaric acid is added per 1 kg of basal diet.

2. Use according to claim 1, characterized in that, During use, the dosage form of p-coumaric acid includes powder and / or granules.

3. The use of p-coumaric acid in reducing pig back fat, improving carcass grade, and any one or more of the following: (1) improving daily weight gain and feed conversion rate; (2) improving meat color score; (3) improving meat water pressure; (4) reducing meat drip loss; The reduction of pig back fat includes any one or more of the following: reduction of shoulder most thick back fat, reduction of 6-7 intercostal back fat, reduction of 10th rib back fat, reduction of last rib back fat, reduction of lumbar-sacral junction back fat, and reduction of average back fat; The improvement of daily weight gain and feed conversion rate includes, but is not limited to, reduction of feed conversion ratio and / or improvement of average daily weight gain; The improvement of meat color score includes reduction of meat yellowness value and / or improvement of meat redness value; During use, 250-500 mg of p-coumaric acid is added per 1 kg of basal diet.

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