Creatine Monohydrate and Guanidinoacetic Acid Supplementation Affects the Growth Performance, Meat Quality, and Creatine Metabolism of Finishing Pigs

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effects of creatine monohydrate (CMH) and guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) supplementation on the growth performance, meat quality, and creatine metabolism of finishing pigs. The pigs were randomly allocated to three treatment groups: the control group, CMH group, and GAA group. In comparison to the control group, CMH treatment increased average daily feed intake and GAA treatment increased average daily feed intake and average daily gain of pigs. In addition, CMH and GAA treatment increased pH, myofibrillar protein solubility, and calpain 1 mRNA expression level and decreased the drip loss and shear force value in longissimus dorsi or semitendinosus muscle. Moreover, CMH and GAA supplementation increased the concentrations of creatine and phosphocreatine and the mRNA expressions of guanidinoacetate N-methyltransferase and creatine transporter in longissimus dorsi muscle, semitendinosus muscle, liver, or kidneys and decreased the mRNA expressions of arginine:glycine amidinotransferase in kidneys. In conclusion, CMH and GAA supplementation could improve the growth performance and meat quality and alter creatine metabolism of finishing pigs.

Dietary guanidinoacetic acid supplementation improved carcass characteristics, meat quality and muscle fibre traits in growing–finishing gilts

“…In the present study, we found that GAA did not influence growth performance in gilts. This result was consistent with previous study that dietary GAA (800-2,000 mg/kg) had no effect on growingfinishing pig growth performance (Wang et al, 2012), while other studies reported that GAA supplementation improved growth performance (He et al, 2018;Jayaraman et al, 2018;Li et al, 2018).…”

“…Previous study also indicated that dietary creatine supplementation enhanced retention of muscle proteins and water in the skeletal muscle, leading to the increased body growth (Janicki & Buzała, 2013). Li et al (2018) indicated that GAA increased the concentrations of creatine and phosphocreatine and promoted the mRNA expressions of guanidinoacetate N-methyltransferase and creatine transporter in LM muscle. GAA was also reported to increase creatine (He et al, 2018) and ATP concentration in muscle (He et al, 2018;Liu et al, 2015 Jayaraman et.…”

“…The difference between these studies may be contributed to pig gender, initial body weight, treatment time or nutrient levels in the diets, especially methionine and cysteine levels. Compared to our current experiment diets, most experimental diets (He et al, 2018;Jayaraman et al, 2018;Li et al, 2018) had a relatively higher methionine and cysteine levels, which means that those diets can provide more methyl donors for pigs to methylate GAA to yield creatine through the enzyme guanidinoacetate N-methyltransferase (GAMT) (Ostojic, 2015). Gilts were used in the current experiment compared to castrated barrows in Li et al (2018) or mix gender pigs in He et al (2018) and Jayaraman et al (2018).…”

“…GAA could be an alternative to creatine since it is more stable and less expensive (Liu et al, 2015). Reports indicated that GAA could enhance the growth performance and carcass characteristic of pigs (He et al, 2018;Jayaraman et al, 2018;Li et al, 2018). However, Wang, Shi, Shan, and Zhang (2012) reported that diet supplemented with GAA from 800 to 2000 mg/kg in growing pigs did not affect growth performance, but improved meat quality.…”

“…However, Wang, Shi, Shan, and Zhang (2012) reported that diet supplemented with GAA from 800 to 2000 mg/kg in growing pigs did not affect growth performance, but improved meat quality. GAA levels in previous reports ranged from 0 to 2000mg/kg with different treatment period and mixed gender pigs (He et al, 2018;Jayaraman et al, 2018;Li et al, 2018;Wang et al, 2012). Limited data are available for the effects of GAA on growth performance throughout the whole growing-finishing period, and the carcass characteristics, meat and muscle fibre traits of gilts.…”