| Summary: | This study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary beta-hydroxy beta-methyl butyrate (HMB) supplementation on muscular lipid metabolism in Bama Xiang mini-pigs. Thirty-two piglets (8.58 ± 0.40 kg, barrow) were selected and fed a basal diet supplemented either with 0 (control), 0.13%, 0.64%, or 1.28% HMB for 60 days. Throughout the experiments, they had free access to clean drinking water and diets. Data of this study were analyzed by one-way ANOVA using the SAS 8.2 software package, followed by a Tukey’s studentized range test to explore treatment effects. The results showed that compared to the control, 0.13% HMB decreased the intramuscular fat (IMF) content and increased polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in <i>Longissimus thoracis</i> muscle (LTM), and increased the n3 PUFAs in soleus muscles (SM, <i>p</i> < 0.05). Moreover, HMB supplementation led to alterations in the mRNA expression of genes related to lipid metabolism. Serum metabolome profiling showed that in both LTM and SM of Bama Xiang mini-pigs, <i>N</i>-Methyl-<span style="font-variant: small-caps;">l</span>-glutamate was positively correlated with SFA and nummularine A was negatively correlated with C18:3n3 PUFA (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Therefore, <i>N</i>-Methyl-<span style="font-variant: small-caps;">l</span>-glutamate and nummularine A might be potential biomarkers of the HMB-supplemented group. These results suggested that dietary HMB supplementation could decrease the IMF content and increase n3 PUFAs as well as regulate the related metabolites (<i>N</i>-Methyl-<span style="font-variant: small-caps;">l</span>-glutamate and nummularine A) in the serum of pigs.
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