The effects of gender and slaughter weight on the growth performance, carcass traits, and meat quality characteristics of heavy pigs1

Abstract

Crossbred pigs (n = 192) from Piétrain x Large White sires mated to Landrace x Large White dams, with a mean BW of 75 +/- 1.3 kg, were used to investigate the effects of gender and slaughter weight (SW) on growth performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality. Pens of pigs (eight pigs/pen) were assigned randomly to one of six treatments arranged in a 2 x 3 factorial design with two genders (barrows or gilts) and three SW (116, 124, or 133 kg). Each treatment was replicated four times. Over the entire trial, barrows had higher (P < 0.001) ADFI (as-fed basis) and ADG than gilts; however, gilts had higher (P < 0.05) gain-to-feed ratios (G:F) than barrows. Barrows had lower (P < 0.01) dressing percents than gilts and produced fatter (P < 0.001) carcasses that had lower trimmed shoulder (P < 0.10) and ham (P < 0.001) yields than gilts. There was a trend for the semimembranosus muscle (SM) from barrows to have a higher (P < 0.10) 45-min pH than that of gilts, but 24-h pH was 0.11 pH unit higher (P < 0.01) in the SM of barrows than gilts. Gender had no (P > 0.10) effect on the moisture and lipid content of the longissimus muscle (LM), nor did gender affect (P > 0.10) LM color, myoglobin content, or thaw loss percentage. However, the LM from barrows had lower (P < 0.05) cooking loss percentages and tended to have lower (P < 0.10) shear force values than the LM from gilts. Pigs slaughtered at 116 kg had higher (P < 0.05) ADG than pigs slaughtered at 124 and 133 kg. Daily feed intake (as-fed basis) was not (P > 0.10) different among SW; however, pigs slaughtered at 116 and 124 kg had higher (P < 0.001) G:F than those slaughtered at 133 kg. Dressing percent, backfat depth, carcass length, and ham and shoulder weights increased (P < 0.001) as SW increased from 116 to 133 kg. The initial (45-min) pH of the SM from pigs slaughtered at 133 kg was higher (P < 0.05) than from pigs slaughtered at 116 or 124 kg; however, 24-h pH was not (P > 0.10) affected by SW. The LM from pigs slaughtered at 133 kg was darker (lower L* values; P < 0.001), redder (higher a* value; P < 0.01), and had more (P < 0.001) myoglobin than the LM of pigs slaughtered at 116 and 124 kg. Barrows and gilts of this particular crossbreed can be used to produce acceptable quality fresh pork when slaughtered at 116 kg; however, increasing SW to 124 kg, or more, decreased live pig performance and carcass leanness without any additional benefits to pork quality attributes.

Productive performance, carcass and meat quality of intact and castrated gilts slaughtered at 106 or 122 kg BW

“…Shrink loss was not affected by castration, even though BF was thicker in CG than in IG. Similar data have been reported by Latorre et al (2004). Shoulder and trimmed primal cut yields were higher in IG than in CG, consistent with data of Serrano et al (2008 and2009a) who observed higher shoulder yield in IG from Iberian 3 Duroc pigs.…”

“…The IMF, crude protein and moisture content of the LT samples were determined with a near infrared transmittance meat analyzer (Infratec R 1265, Tecator, Hö ganä s, Sweden) as described by Latorre et al (2004). Drip loss was determined using 15-mm thick LT slices excised from each thawed chop.…”

Developmental changes of carcass composition, meat quality and organs in the Jinhua pig and Landrace

“…Previous studies showed some or no effect of slaughter weight on meat quality traits (Latorre et al, 2004;Piao et al, 2004;Correa et al, 2006). However, the present study demonstrated the developmental changes of meat quality parameters of Jinhua pigs and Landrace, and breed differences.…”

The influence of age at the beginning of Montanera period on meat characteristics and fat quality of outdoor Iberian pigs

“…Although some studies have shown no influence of age on meat color even for wide ranges of slaughter weight (Weatherup et al, 1998;Serrano et al, 2008a), most studies agree on the beneficial effect of increased age on redder, darker and higher myoglobin content (Mayoral et al, 1999;Latorre et al, 2004). The trend followed by the data agree with such observations (a* or myoglobin content increasing as age increased).…”

“…Therefore, restrictions of feed intake in the older pigs and higher feed allowance for the younger pigs during the pre-Montanera phase are necessary to afford that pigs with different ages achieve 160 kg BW at slaughter (Daza et al, 2006 and. Several previous studies have reported the effect of age on meat and fat quality of commercial (not autochthonous) pigs reared indoors (Leach et al, 1996;Weatherup et al, 1998;Latorre et al, 2004). However, this information in Iberian pigs is scarce and based on empirical observations.…”