The effects of breed cross on performance and meat quality of once-bred gilts in a seasonal outdoor rearing system

Abstract

Abstract. This study investigated the suitability of once-bred gilts of two different breed crosses in an alternative seasonal outdoor rearing system, with slaughter of the once-bred gilts and their progeny at the end of the season. In total 38 once-bred gilts (Large White x Landrace (LW*L) and Large White x Duroc (LW*D) were housed outdoors one month before farrowing until slaughter, 2-3 weeks after weaning. Body weight, backfat thickness and litter size of the once-bred gilts, and pre-weaning mortality and growth of the piglets were recorded. Carcass quality and technological meat quality (pHu, internal and surface reflectance, water-holding capacity, processing yield and shear-force) of m. longissimus dorsi were measured. Sensory meat quality (taste panel) of oven-baked loin (m. longissimus dorsi) and cured and smoked ham (m. semimembranosus) was investigated. LW*L once-bred gilts had more piglets at weaning, whereas growth rate of LW*D progeny was higher; pre-weaning mortality and litter weight did not differ between the breeds. LW*L had higher lean meat content and lower backfat thickness. Technological meat quality and chemical composition did not considerably differ between the two breed crosses. LW*D had higher quality with regard to meat flavour and stringiness, but tended to have lower quality with regard to juiciness of cured and smoked ham, compared with LW*L.

Sow body condition at weaning and reproduction performance in organic piglet production

“…The results of the current study may indicate that Duroc crosses are more suitable for outdoor production because they have significantly more backfat at weaning than the crosses of Landrace and Yorkshire. This is in accordance with Heyer et al (2005) who hypothesised that the lower weight loss during lactation is due to a lower litter size, as also found in the current study, in addition to a higher feed consumption during lactation. The higher backfat at weaning together with a higher growth rate before (Heyer et al, 2005) and after weaning (Stern et al, 2003) in Duroc crosses might counteract the potential negative impact on the production economy caused by lower litter sizes.…”

“…This is probably because the nursing frequency (Wallenbeck et al, 2008) and milk production (Walker & Young, 1992) have already decreased markedly after 5Á6 weeks coinciding with an increase in the piglets' intake of solid feed (Pajor et al, 1999;Damm et al, 2003). Heyer et al (2005) similarly observed that sows housed outdoors had a significant loss of backfat from farrowing to five weeks in lactation, but even had a small gain in backfat from five weeks to weaning four weeks later.…”

Maternal behaviour and performance in first-parity outdoor sows

“…Sow feed consumption the first 14 days pp was estimated to 65% of the recommended feed intake. Heyer et al (2005) also found a low feed intake during the first 10 days pp, 76% of the recommended feed intake for Yorkshire × Landrace primiparous gilts farrowing outdoors. The low feed consumption in this environment might be because the sow has to leave the hut and her piglets to get to the feed trough.…”

Activity behaviour and social interactions of pigs raised outdoors and indoors

“…Further, a sufficient total daily intake of protein and amino acids could probably be assured by using ad libitum feeding. However, the diet should have a lower energy density than used conventionally in order not to compromise the carcass quality (MICKLICH et al, 1999;HEYER et al, 2005). In the present experiment pigs received recommended (R), 7 % lower (R-7) or 14 % lower (R-14) levels of amino acids, in a phase feeding system with a low-energy diet provided ad libitum.…”