Effects of increasing inclusion of camelina press cake in diets fed to growing-finishing pigs on pork quality

Objective: We investigated whether increasing inclusion of camelina press cake (CPC) in pig diets would influence carcass traits, pork quality, and belly firmness. Materials and Methods: Pigs (initial weight = 35.3 ± 2.8 kg) were fed diets based on corn–soybean meal with 0, 5, 10, or 15% CPC to replace corn and soybean meal for 12 wk. There were 6 pens of 8 pigs each per dietary treatment. At 23 wk of age, gilts (n = 22), each from a different pen, were slaughtered for pork quality evaluation. Data were analyzed using the Glimmix models of SAS. Results and Discussion: Increasing dietary inclusion of CPC decreased (P < 0.05) hot carcass weight, dressing percentage (DP), belly thickness, and backfat thickness at the 10th rib, and increased lean percentage of carcasses. Changes in chill loss percentage, 45-min and 24-h postmortem pH, water holding capacity and marbling score of pork chops, or belly firmness with increasing CPC inclusion were not detected (all P > 0.10). Increasing CPC inclusion decreased (P < 0.05) Warner-Bratzler shear force value and objective color (a*) of pork chops quadratically. Subjective color and overall appearance scores across 7 d were less favorable (P < 0.05) for pork chops from pigs fed increasing dietary inclusion of CPC to 15%. But, changes in shear force value, subjective color, and overall appearance scores for pork chops with dietary CPC inclusion were of small magnitude. Implications and Applications: Increasing dietary inclusion of CPC up to 15% decreased hot carcass weight, DP, and belly thickness but increased lean percentage of carcasses.