Comparison of different dietary magnesium supplements on pork quality

Forty-eight crossbred (Large White×Landrace) boars were used to compare the effect of dietary magnesium aspartate (MgAsp), magnesium sulphate (MgSO(4)) and magnesium chloride (MgCl(2)) on muscle glycogenolysis and pork quality. The pigs were fed finisher feed supplemented with either MgAsp, MgSO(4) and MgCl(2) for 5 days prior to slaughter. At the abattoir, all pigs received 15 electric shocks from an electric goad 5min prior to slaughter. Pigs fed the diet supplemented with MgSO(4) had the highest plasma Mg concentrations at slaughter in comparison with pigs fed the MgAsp and MgCl(2) supplemented diets. There were no differences in plasma adrenaline and noradrenaline concentrations at slaughter between the different diets. Pigs fed the Mg diets had higher muscle glycogen concentrations in the Longissimus thoracis (LT) muscle at 5min and at 40min (except MgCl(2)) post-slaughter compared to pigs fed the control diet. Also pigs fed the Mg diets had lower muscle lactic acid concentrations in the LT at 5min post-slaughter and lower drip loss at 24hr post-slaughter compared to pigs fed the control diet. These results indicate that cheaper magnesium sources, MgSO(4) and MgCl(2), are as efficacious as MgAsp in reducing drip loss and improving pork quality.