Effect of dietary oregano essential oil on growth, meat quality, selenium concentration and biochemical traits serum of pigs

Natural substances of plant origin play an important role in the protection of animal health and the improvement of the quality and health safety of food products of animal origin. The research was carried out to determine the effect oregano essential oil, as a feed additive on the production effects, quality and chemical composition of meat, as well as on the level of selenium in pig tissues and selected serum biochemical indicators. The study did not show a significant effect of the preparation containing oregano oil used in the feeding of fattening pigs on the body weight of fattening pigs, their growth rate, as well as feed intake and utilization. Chemical analysis showed that pigs receiving the addition of oregano oil achieved significantly higher (p0.05) content of dry matter and protein in the Longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle. The LD muscle colour assessment showed that supplementation of the pig diet during the fattening period with oregano oil had a significant effect on the yellow colour component of meat (higher b* values; p0.05). Supplementation with oregano oil contributed to a significant reduction in serum triglyceride concentration (p0.05). The results of this study suggest that supplementation of the pigs' diet with oregano oil contributes to the increase in the yellowness of meat and the content of dry matter and protein as well as to the decrease in the concentration of triglycerides in the serum.