The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary mulberry (Morus alba L.) leaves powder (MLP) supplementation on meat quality of finishing pigs. A total of 40 Duroc×Landrace×Yorkshire pigs (initial body weight of (40.5±0.63) kg) were randomly allotted into two treatments, fed either with control diet or 15% MLP diet for 85 d. The results showed that MLP diet decreased (P≤0.05) average daily gain (ADG) and increased (P<0.05) feed/gain ratio (F/G) in the finishing and whole period. MLP diet also decreased (P<0.05) carcass weight, dressing percentage, last rib and average backfat depth. However, MLP diet increased (P<0.05) intramuscular fat (IMF) content, decreased (P<0.05) shear force, cooking loss and drip loss. In addition, MLP diet increased (P<0.05) total antioxidative capacity, glutathione peroxidase and tended (P<0.10) to increase total superoxide dismutase in serum. In longissimus thoracis, myosin heavy chain (MyHC) I and IIa mRNA levels were increased (P≤0.05) for MLP diet. In conclusion, 15% MLP supplementation reduced the growth performance and carcass traits, but improved meat quality of finishing pigs possibly through the change of myofiber characteristics, enhancement of antioxidative capacity and increase of IMF.
