Evaluating the Impacts of Dietary Fats (Tallow and Palm Oil) on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, and Meat Fatty Acid Composition in Finishing Pigs

In our trial, we investigated the effects of including dietary fats, specifically tallow and palm oil (PO), on growth performance and nutrient digestibility in finishing pigs. Additionally, we assessed their impact on backfat thickness, carcass grade, meat quality, and the fatty acid (FA) profile of the meat. In total, 160 finishing pigs ([Landrace × Yorkshire] × Duroc) with an average body weight (BW) of 50.36 ± 1.59 kg ([16 replications/treatment, five pigs] [two gilts and three barrows]/treatment, 12-week trial) were arbitrarily distributed to 1 of 2 dietary treatments: TRT1, basal diet + tallow (2.8%); TRT2, basal diet + PO (2.8%). At Week 8, there was an increased average daily feed intake and decreased feed conversion ratio in the PO diet compared to the tallow diet (p < 0.05). The digestibility of nutrients, backfat thickness, and carcass grade did not change substantially (p > 0.05). The PO-included diet increased sensory evaluation and water holding capacity of meat compared to the tallow diet (p < 0.05). PO-supplemented pigs showed higher (p < 0.05) FA percentages of palmitoleic acid (C16:1), margaric acid (C17:0), arachidic acid (C20:3n3), ω-3 FA, ω-6: ω-3, ΣPUFA (polyunsaturated FA), and MUFA (monounsaturated FA) than the tallow diet. Moreover, the percentage of linoelaidic acid (C18:2n6t), ΣUSFA (unsaturated FA), and PUFA also tended to increase (p < 0.10) in the PO-included diet. In summary, the inclusion of PO in the diet positively influenced growth performance, meat quality, and the FA profile, indicating its potential as a beneficial fat supplement for finishing pigs. These results, obtained from a 12-week trial under controlled conditions, support the use of dietary PO to improve production performance in finishing pigs. However, further studies are necessary to investigate the long-term effects, dose-response relationships, and potential interactions with environmental and genetic factors under varied commercial conditions.