ABSTRACT: An experiment was conducted to evaluate
the dietary effects of Cr propionate (CrProp) and
metabolizable energy (ME) on growth, carcass traits,
and pork quality of growing-finishing pigs. One hundred
forty-four Cambrough-22 barrows were allotted to
four dietary treatments in a randomized complete block
design (six replicates of six pigs per replicate; average
initial and final body weight were 27 and 113 kg, respectively).
The dietary treatments were: 1) corn–soybean
meal basal (B; low ME), 2) B + 200 ppb of Cr (as CrProp),
3) B + 200 kcal ME/kg (4.5% added fat; high ME), or 4)
B+ 200 kcal ME/kg + 200 ppb of Cr. At trial termination,
three pigs per replicate were killed to determine dietary
effects on carcass traits and pork quality. Overall average
daily gain, average daily feed intake, and gain:feedratio were not affected (P > 0.10) by diet. During the
early growing period, average daily gain was increased
in pigs fed the CrProp–low-ME diets, but decreased in
pigs fed the CrProp-high ME diets (Cr × ME, P < 0.04).
Feed intake was increased (P < 0.05) in pigs fed the
high-ME diets during the early growing period. Fortyfive
min and 24 h pH were not affected (P > 0.10) by
diet. The CIE L* tended (P = 0.07) to be increased and
shear force tended (P = 0.06) to be decreased in pigs
fed high-ME diets. Subjective marbling was increased
(P < 0.03) and longissimus muscle percentage moisture
and thaw loss were decreased (P < 0.04) in pigs fed
CrProp. Chromium propionate had no consistent effect
on growth and carcass traits in this experiment; however,
CrProp did affect some aspects of pork quality.