Table 7.

Effects of feeding HMB to lactating sows on muscle fiber characteristics of fattening pigs

	CON	HMB	SEMa	P value
LMA, cm2	75.30	82.15	2.38	0.069
Total number of muscle fiber, ×103	1013	1018	42	0.935
Mean myofiber CSA, μm2
Total	3,615	4,268	183	0.065
Type I	2,732	3,203	213	0.169
Type II	3,719	4,774	252	0.025

LMA loin meat area, CSA cross sectional area, CON control, HMB β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate

^aPooled standard error of the mean (n = 6/treatment)