Antioxidant activity in dorsal fat and Longissimus dorsi muscle of post-weaned Pelon piglets fed with arboreal leaves meal

The objective of this study was to compare the effect of a 10% inclusión of leaf meal from the arboreal species Morus alba (Mulberry), Moringa oleifera (Moringa), and Cnidoscolus aconitifolius (Chaya) in a conventional maize-soy bean meal diet on the antioxidant activity (DPPH, ABTS assays, and total polyphenols) in dorsal fat (DF) and Longissimus dorsi (LD) of post-weaned Pelon (hairless) piglets. A total of 28 piglets, 24 days old at weaning, were divided in to four experimental groups, each consisting of seven piglets homogenized by sex and weight. After a seven-day adaptation to the experimental cages and diet, the pigs were fed ad libitum for 28 days and were slaughtered at 59 days of age, with a final weight of 6.8 ± 0.3 kg. A statistical model under a completely randomized block design was employed to determine if there were differences between the means of the analyzed variables. Correlations, regressions and a principal component analysis were performed to group the results obtained from the variables in each treatment. The diet with Chaya meal exhibited the highest antioxidant activity measured in the DPPH, ABTS assays, and total polyphenols in both DF and LD. It was also demonstrated that the antioxidant activity in DF (dorsal fat) and LD, as well as the ether extract (EE) in LD, was greater (P˂0.0001) in piglets fed with Chaya and Moringa. The statistical correlations and regressions showed that increased consumption of antioxidants correlates with a higher percentage of EE in LD; and that greater antioxidant activity in both GD and LD corresponds to a higher percentage of EE in LD. The 10% inclusion of Moringa and Chaya meal in the conventional maize-soybean meal diet enhances antioxidant activity in both DF and LD of post-weaned Pelon piglets.