The growth performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality of halothane carrier and negative pigs.

A total of 120 Iberian pigs of the Lampiñ a line that grew under outdoor conditions were used to study the effect of the age at the beginning of Montanera period (AM) on meat characteristics and fatty acid (FA) profile of subcutaneous fat. AM period is a free-range fattening phase from November to February in which pigs ate mainly acorns and grass. There were two treatments with two AM (20 pigs per treatment); 18 (P18) and 12 months (P12). Barrows and gilts were in the same proportion within each treatment. All the animals were slaughtered at the same time (at the end of Montanera period) reaching an average 160 kg of body weight. Meat from P18 had less protein and was more red (a*) ( P , 0.05), but tended to show higher intramuscular fat content ( P , 0.10) than meat from P12. Loin from P18 had lower thawing ( P , 0.001) and cooking losses ( P , 0.10) than loin from P12. The fat from P18 had higher monounsaturated FA content than fat from P12 pigs ( P , 0.01) due to the higher level of C18:1 ( P , 0.01) and C20:1 ( P , 0.001). However, fat from P12 had higher polyunsaturated FA content than fat from P18 pigs ( P , 0.01) because of the higher level of C18:2 ( P , 0.001). It is concluded that both 12 and 18 months are adequate AM for purebred Iberian pigs from the commercial point of view. However, if the aim is to produce high-quality dry-cured Iberian products, the P18 pigs would be more advisable because had better meat and fat characteristics than the P12 pigs.

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

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

Rodríguez-Sánchez

Ripoll

Latorre

2010

“…This was also found in some commercial crossbreeds with a significant effect of lower pH and a tendency to higher drip loss in females (Lloveras et al, 2008). It is generally accepted that the eating quality of pig meat (measured as tenderness, juiciness and flavour) is similar for castrates and females (Cisneros et al, 1996;Ellis et al, 1996;Leach et al, 1996). Storage effects.…”

Section: Genetic Variation In Meat Qualitymentioning

confidence: 62%

Genetic parameters of meat quality traits in two pig breeds measured by rapid methods

Gjerlaug-Enger

Aass

Ødegård

et al. 2010

To study genetic variation in meat quality traits measured by rapid methods, data were recorded between 2005 and 2008 on samples of M. longissimus dorsi (LD) in Landrace (n 5 3838) and Duroc (n 5 2250) pigs included in the Norwegian pig breeding scheme. In addition, ultimate pH levels in the glycolytic LD (loin muscle) and M. gluteus medius (GM, ham muscle), and in the oxidative m. gluteus profundus (GP, ham muscle) were recorded as an extended data set (n 5 16 732 and n 5 7456 for Landrace and Duroc, respectively) from 1998 to 2008. Data were analysed with a multi-trait animal model using AI-REML methodology. Meat from Duroc had considerably more intramuscular fat (IMF), less moisture and protein, appeared darker with higher colour intensity and had lower drip loss than meat from Landrace. The heritability estimates (s. in LD all demonstrated moderate-to-high genetic variation for these traits in both breeds. Near infrared spectroscopy and EZ-DripLoss are modern technologies used in this study for the determination of chemical components and drip loss in meat. These methods gave higher heritabilities than more traditional methods used to measure these traits. The estimated genetic correlations between moisture and IMF in Duroc, and pH and drip loss in Duroc were both 20.89. Interesting differences between the two breeds in numerical value of some genetic correlations were observed, probably reflecting the differences in physiology and selection history between Landrace and Duroc. The estimated genetic correlation between drip loss and pH was much stronger in Duroc than in Landrace (20.89 and 20.63, respectively). This might be due to the high pH in Duroc, whereas Landrace had a lower pH closer to the iso-electric point for muscle proteins. The positive genetic correlation between the L* value in meat and IMF in Duroc (0.50) was an effect of differences in visible marbling, rather than meat colour. For Landrace, this correlation was negative (20.20). IMF content showed favourable genetic correlations to drip loss (20.36 and 20.35 for Landrace and Duroc, respectively).

“…Keeping meat quality at an acceptable level during selection for leanness has been a problem in the pig breeding industry. For instance, numerous studies have reported the positive effect of the halothane genotype on carcass lean content and conformation; however, this positive effect was often accompanied by a negative effect on meat quality traits (De Smet et al, 1995 andLeach et al, 1996). Also in other studies aiming at increasing lean tissue growth by selection or by feeding strategies, a decrease in meat quality was noticed (Karlsson et al, 1993;Oksbjerg et al, 2000).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Asp298Asn missense mutation in the porcine melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) gene can be used to affect growth and carcass traits without an effect on meat quality

Maagdenberg

Stinckens

Claeys

et al. 2007

A promising tool to improve daily gain in pigs is the missense mutation (Asp298Asn) in the melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) gene, especially in the Belgian pig industry where the slow-growing Pié train breed is very frequently used as the sire breed. The MC4R is expressed in the appetite-regulating region of the brain where it regulates feed intake and energy balance. The mutation has been associated with differences in fatness, daily gain and feed intake. However, less information on the correlated effects on meat quality is available. In order to evaluate the influence of the MC4R mutation on carcass and meat quality parameters, a total of 1155 pigs of a four-way cross were slaughtered at an average live weight of 109 kg, and data about daily live-weight gain, carcass and meat quality were collected. Allelic frequencies were 0.69 for the G-allele (298Asp variant or well-conserved variant) and 0.31 for the A-allele (298Asn variant or the mutated variant). Barrows and gilts were almost equally distributed in this population with, respectively, 49.9% and 50.1%. Moreover, independent of this mutation, the relationship between average daily gain (ADG) and carcass on the one hand and meat quality traits on the other hand was evaluated in this population. A significant positive influence of the MC4R mutation on ADG (P , 0.001) was found, accompanied by a higher fat thickness (P , 0.05) and a lower carcass lean meat content (P , 0.01), whereas muscle thickness and carcass conformation traits were not affected. The effects on meat quality traits were not significant, except for a lower shear force (P 5 0.054) and a higher intramuscular fat content (P 5 0.052) in AA animals. In the longissimus, pH and pork quality meter (PQM) values were not influenced, and effects on drip loss and colour were not apparent. Residual correlation coefficients between ADG and carcass lean meat content on the one hand and meat quality traits on the other hand were generally very low (| r|.0.1). Higher ADG, higher carcass fat thickness and lower carcass lean meat content were correlated with slightly lower shear force values (| r| , 0.1, P , 0.05). In conclusion, in the studied population, the Asp298Asn mutation in the MC4R gene was associated with improved daily gain, higher carcass fatness and almost no effect on meat quality traits.