-The effects of breed in combination with sex (female vs. castrated male) on carcass composition and meat quality characteristics were studied in a factorial arrangement of treatments involving 32 Large White (LW) and 32 Creole (CR) pigs. The pigs were slaughtered at 150 d of age; the slaughter weights were 90 and 60 kg for LW and CR pigs, respectively, which corresponded to the practical commercial slaughter weight in the French West Indies for both breeds. No interaction between breed and sex was found for all criteria studied. Creole pigs had a lower killing out percentage (82.9 vs. 80.9%, P < 0.001) and higher backfat thickness at 150 d of age (17.5 vs. 11.3 mm, P < 0.001) than the LW pigs. Higher pH 24 h post mortem were observed in the semimembranosus (SM), longissimus dorsi (LD), and semispinalis (SS) muscles of the CR than of the LW breeds (P < 0.01). The drip and cooking losses of meat measured in the LD muscle were lower in the CR than in the LW pigs (5.9 vs. 10.6% and 30.2 vs. 33.1%, respectively, P < 0.10). Creole pigs showed higher intramuscular fat percentage in LD muscle (3.45 vs. 2.46%, P < 0.001), more saturated (40.0 vs. 37.9%) and monounsaturated (40.6 vs. 38.4%) fatty acids and lower concentration of C18:2 and C18:3 in backfat than LW pigs (17.3 vs. 21.1% and 0.96 vs. 1.31%, respectively). Whatever the breed, the females (F) were leaner (P < 0.05) than the castrated males (C). The females showed higher drip and cooking losses in LD muscle and lower pH 24 h post mortem in LD and SM muscles. The saturated fatty acid concentrations were lower in F than in C. These results emphasise the reduced carcass performance of CR breed in intensive management and its superiority as far as the criteria of technological and sensory qualities of the fresh meat are concerned. ces deux génotypes. L'interaction entre le génotype et le sexe n'a été significative pour aucun des critères étudiés. Le rendement de la carcasse est inférieur (P < 0,001) et l'épaisseur de lard dorsale mesurée à 150 jours d'âge est plus élevée (P < 0,001) chez le porc CR comparé au LW (respectivement, 82,9 vs. 80,9 % et 17,5 vs. 11,3 mm). Des pH ultimes supérieurs ont été mesurés au niveau des muscles semimembranosus (SM), longissimus dorsi (LD) et semispinalis (SS) chez le porc CR (P < 0,01). Les pertes d'eau au ressuyage et à la cuisson mesurées sur le muscle LD sont plus faibles (P < 0,10) chez le CR (respectivement, 5,9 vs. 10,6 % et 30.2 vs. 33.1 %). Les teneurs en lipides intramusculaire du LD (3,45 vs. 2,46 %) et en acides gras saturés (40,0 vs. 37,9 %) et monoinsaturés (40,6 vs. 38,4 %) de la bardière sont supérieurs (P < 0,01) chez le CR. En revanche, les teneurs en C18:2 et C18:3 sont significativement supérieures chez le LW (respectivement, 21,1 vs. 17,3 % et 1,31 vs. 0,96 %). Indépendamment du type génétique, les femelles (F) sont significativement plus maigres que les mâles castrés (C). Les pertes d'eau au ressuyage et à la cuisson du muscle LD sont plus élevées et le pH ultime mesuré au niveau du LD ou du SM est p...

No abstract