Growth parameters, carcass merit, and meat quality of market hogs fed diets containing creatine monohydrate

A series of controlled experiments were conducted to evaluate the use of creatine monohydrate as a "natural" alternative to growth promotants and as a means to help offset the industry costs associated with poor pork quality. The first of four studies was designed to evaluate the growth performance and meat quality of market barrows fed creatine monohydrate 5, 10, and 15 d pre-harvest. The results of this study suggest that 5 d supplementation of creatine may improve several pork quality attributes, yet supplementing creatine 10 and 15 d pre-harvest may reduce the quality of fresh pork. The second study evaluated the growth and meat quality of hogs supplemented with creatine monohydrate and (or) a simple carbohydrate (dextrose) for the last 30 d of production. In this study, dietary treatment did not significantly improve growth performance or meat quality. A follow-up to the previous study was designed to determine if additional lysine supplementation improves the lean tissue accretion and carcass merit of barrows and gilts supplemented creatine monohydrate and a high glycemic carbohydrate (dextrose). The results of this study indicated that additional lysine supplementation can decrease the fat accretion of barrows fed diets containing 0.92% creatine monohydrate and 2.75% dextrose 33 d pre-harvest. However, this feeding strategy failed to elicit a similar response in gilts fed a comparable diet. The last study was designed to compare the growth performance and meat quality of market barrows fed creatine monohydrate in combination with a high glycemic carbohydrate to that of barrows fed 4.5 g/ton PayleanRTM. The results of this study suggest that the addition of 0.92% creatine and 2.75% dextrose is unable to further enhance the lean tissue accretion of pigs fed diets containing 4.5 g/ton PayleanRTM, nor is it a viable improvement over current pork production strategies. However, the addition of creatine and dextrose to diets containing 4.5 g/ton PayleanRTM tended to allow for the repartitioning of nutrients toward lean deposition while sparing the intramuscular fat content of pigs prone to producing higher quality cuts of meat.