Daily feeding frequency impacts muscle characteristics and fat deposition in finishing pigs associated with alterations in microbiota composition and bile acid profile.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Feeding frequency has been shown to affect growth and body composition of the host associated with gut microbiota. It remains unknown whether adjusting feeding frequency could effectively regulate both skeletal muscle development and whole-body lipid metabolism and thus affect carcass composition and feed conversion efficiency. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the effects of feeding frequency on muscle growth, fat deposition, cecal microbiota composition, and bile acid composition in finishing pigs.

Methods

Sixteen Sichuan-Tibetan black pigs, with an initial weight of 121.50 ± 1.60 kg, were divided into two groups and fed either two meals (M2) or four meals (M4) per day. The trial lasted 30 days. The muscle fiber characteristics, lipid metabolism in adipos

SUBMITTER: Hu L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11813218 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature