This study was conducted to evaluate the impact of soybean oil level on performance and fatty acid profile of backfat and longissimus lumborum muscle of gilts. Forty-eight gilts with an initial weight of 21.75 ± 0.138 kg and final weight of 98.65 ± 2.106 kg were subjected to one of the following six dietary soybean oil inclusions (0.00, 1.086, 2.173, 3.259, 4.345, and 5.432%). Experimental design was completely randomized block with six treatments and four replicates of two animals each. Lipid profile of backfat and longissimus lumborum muscle was analyzed by gas chromatography. Increasing dietary soybean oil levels did not influence final weight, daily weight gain, and feed intake (P > 0.05) but improved feed to gain ratio (P < 0.05). The inclusion of soybean oil modified the lipid profile of backfat and muscle, reduced saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, and increased polyunsaturated fatty acids concentration, mainly linoleic and α-linolenic acids (P < 0.05). Increasing dietary soybean oil inclusion decreased atherogenic and thrombogenic indexes, and the omega-6:omega-3 ratio of the backfat and longissimus lumborum muscle (P < 0.05). The level of soybean oil in swine diets influenced backfat and longissimus lumborum lipid profile.
Keywords: Fat deposition; Fatty acids; Meat quality; Vegetable oil.