Effects of dietary daidzein supplementation of pregnant sows on carcass and meat quality and skeletal muscle cellularity of the progeny

The effects of dietary daidzein during late gestation on maternal performance, neonatal body composition, carcass and meat quality at market weight, and skeletal muscle cellularity were studied. Multiparous sows received a soybean-free diet (n = 8, control) or the same diet supplemented with 1 mg daidzein/kg body weight (n = 7) daily from d 85 of gestation to parturition. Litter size, litter weight, and birth weight remained unaffected by daidzein feeding. In newborn piglets from litters >15, the proportions of muscle tissue and skin tended to be decreased (P = 0.09) or increased (P = 0.03), respectively, after gestational daidzein feeding. The body fat percentage was higher in response to maternal daidzein (P = 0.04). Postnatal growth and carcass composition at 180 d of age were not affected, however, maternal daidzein supplementation led to increases in longissimus muscle pH45 (P = 0.02) and pHend (P = 0.11) in pigs from large litters. The proportion of fast-twitch glycolytic fibres in semitendinosus muscle was increased (P = 0.06) by maternal daidzein feeding. The results suggest that supplemental daidzein in the maternal diet during late gestation marginally affects meat quality and skeletal muscle cellularity of the progeny.