Weight and season affects androstenone and skatole occurrence in entire male pigs in organic pig production

Thomsen, Rikke; Edwards, Sandra A.; Jensen, Bent Borg; Rousing, Tine; Sørensen, Jan Tind

doi:10.1017/s1751731115000786

Cited by 8 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…The overall median level was 1.83 µg/g. More detailed analyses of androstenone concentrations are presented in Thomsen et al (2015). Table 4 summarizes model estimates of the variables significantly affecting androstenone concentration.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effect of faecal soiling on skatole and androstenone occurrence in organic entire male pigs

Thomsen

Edwards

Jensen

et al. 2015

Animal

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Production of entire male pigs could be a future strategy for organic pig production. However, production of entire males leads to increased risk of carcasses with elevated boar taint levels. It is hypothesized that skatole levels in pig meat are affected by faecal soiling and that organic housing facilities can increase the risk of pigs being heavily soiled. Therefore, the overall aim of this study was to investigate if increased pig and pen soiling increases skatole concentration in entire male pigs. In five herds, 1174 organic entire male pigs were reared in four batches across two seasons, summer and winter. Measurements of pig and pen soiling, as well as fat skatole and androstenone concentration and human nose sensory tests of fat odour, were performed. Skatole and androstenone concentrations varied greatly within and between herds with a 10% and 90% percentile for the overall population of 0.02 and 2.25 µg/g for skatole and 0.53 and 4.84 µg/g for androstenone. Human nose positive tests averaged 18.3% with great variation between herds and seasons. Pen soiling had significant effects on pig soiling. Moreover, outdoor pen soiling significantly affected skatole concentration in interactions with herd and season ( P < 0.001 and P = 0.003) and affected human nose positive risk in interaction with herd ( P = 0.005). Soiling on indoor pen areas did not affect skatole levels and no effect on androstenone was found for any pen area. Soiling of pigs affected both skatole and androstenone levels, with the size of the head and abdomen body areas covered in manure showing significant positive effects on skatole concentration. No effect of density of the manure layer was found on either boar taint measure. Herd significantly affected both skatole and androstenone in fat as well as the human nose positive risk. The human nose test revealed no effect from pig soiling. A large variation in the different boar taint measures was found for both high and low scores of pen and pig soiling, and only a small difference in skatole and androstenone concentrations between the high and low soiling categories was found. Therefore, while increasing the hygiene management could be a strategy for reducing boar taint in production of organic entire male pigs, it should be emphasized that other factors would also need to be considered.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The animals in the present study were part of a larger study design on organic entire male pigs described in Thomsen et al (2015).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of faecal soiling on skatole and androstenone occurrence in organic entire male pigs

Thomsen

Edwards

Jensen

et al. 2015

Animal

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“…Cependant, les études portant sur ce sujet (Andersson et al, 1998 ;Walstra et al, 1999 ;Prunier et al, 2013 ;Thomsen et al, 2015b) ont comparé des périodes centrées sur juin/ juillet et décembre/janvier qui ne correspondent pas à celles des minima et maxima définis chez le verrat adulte. Hansen et al, (1994), la concentration en scatol du tissu adipeux augmente chez les porcs abattus en été (température ambiante dans les bâtiments ≥ 22°C) comparativement en hiver (17°C), mais cet effet n'est pas retrouvé dans certaines études (Prunier et al, 2013 ;Thomsen et al, 2015b) ou seulement partiellement (Walstra et al, 1999). Cette variabilité des résultats s'explique probablement par une interaction complexe entre propreté des animaux, renouvellement de l'air et température ambiante dans les salles.…”

Section: L'environnement Physiqueunclassified

“…L'augmentation de la température ambiante au-delà de la température critique supérieure du porc déclenche des adaptations comportementales permettant au porc d'évacuer une partie de la chaleur qu'il produit. Ainsi, les animaux se roulent dans leurs déjections pour se mouiller et augmenter la perte de chaleur par évaporation (Huynh et al, 2005 ;Thomsen et al, 2015b). Ce comportement augmente le risque d'absorption via la peau puisque le scatol et l'indole excrétés dans les fèces peuvent traverser le tissu cutané (Wesoly et al, 2016).…”

Section: L'environnement Physiqueunclassified

Odeurs indésirables de la viande de porcs mâles non castrés : problèmes et solutions potentielles

et al. 2018

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La présence d’odeurs indésirables dans la viande de porcs mâles entiers est principalement liée à l’accumulation d’androsténone et de scatol. L’androsténone est synthétisée par les testicules et le scatol par les bactéries du colon à partir du tryptophane. Leur teneur dans le tissu adipeux résulte du bilan entre leur synthèse, leur élimination et leur réabsorption. Le principal levier d’action pour réduire la teneur en androsténone est la sélection génétique. Pour le scatol, les principaux leviers d’action concernent la conduite d’élevage : propreté des cases, gestion de l’environnement microclimatique et conduite alimentaire, notamment. La mixité des groupes et l’instabilité sociale ont peu d’impact sur les teneurs en composés odorants, mais sont importantes à contrôler pour réduire les risques de bagarres et de lésion. Même en réduisant fortement la teneur en composés odorants, il ne sera pas possible d’obtenir des niveaux indétectables sur toutes les carcasses. Une stratégie d’utilisation des carcasses odorantes de porcs mâles entiers doit être définie. Elle implique de comprendre les facteurs de rejet des viandes odorantes par les consommateurs. La perception d’odeurs sexuelles dépend de facteurs liés à l’animal, au type de produit, au mode de préparation/consommation et au consommateur lui-même. De plus, les deux molécules odorantes semblent interagir. La prise en compte des différents cas de figure peut être envisagée par une approche de modélisation, avec en préalable la mise en œuvre d'une détection des odeurs sur la chaine d’abattage. Or actuellement, seule la détection par le nez humain est opérationnelle au niveau des chaines d’abattage et des méthodes instrumentales restent à développer.

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“…Housing system This study is part of a larger study on organic entire male pigs, with a thorough description of housing system and study design to be found in Thomsen et al (2014a and2014b). The pigs were reared according to the standard Danish organic production system, with an indoor area consisting of an activity area with solid and partially slatted floors and a resting area with straw bedding.…”

Section: Animalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of social mixing and group size on skin lesions and mounting in organic entire male pigs

Thomsen

Edwards

Rousing

et al. 2016

Animal

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Alternatives to surgical castration are needed, due to stress and pain caused by castration of male pigs. One alternative is production of entire male pigs. However, changed behaviour of entire males compared with castrated males might adversely affect the welfare of entire males and changes in management procedures and production system might be needed. Elements from the organic pig production system might be beneficial in this aspect. The aim of this article is to investigate the effect of grouping strategy including social mixing and group size on levels of mounting behaviour and skin lesions, hypothesising that procedures that disrupt the social stability (e.g. regrouping) will have a larger negative effect in small groups compared with large groups. Approximately 1600 organic entire male pigs of the breed (Landrace × Yorkshire) × Duroc were reared in parallel in five organic herds, distributed across four batches in a 2 × 2 factorial design in order to test the influence of social mixing (presence or absence of social mixing at relocation) and group size (15 and 30 animals). Animals were able to socialise with piglets from other litters during the lactation period, and were all mixed across litters at weaning. A second mixing occurred at insertion to fattening pens for pigs being regrouped. Counting of skin lesions (1348 or 1124 pigs) and registration of mounting behaviour (1434 or 1258 pigs) were done on two occasions during the experimental period. No interactive effects were found between social mixing and group size on either skin lesions or mounting frequency. Herd differences were found for both mounting frequency and number of skin lesions. No association between skin lesions and mounting were revealed. Social mixing and group size were shown as interacting effects with herds on mounting frequency ( P < 0.0001), but with no consistent pattern across all herds. In addition, no effect of social mixing was found on mean number of skin lesions, but more lesions were observed in large groups ( P < 0.036). This could indicate that keeping entire male pigs in groups of 30 animals as compared with smaller groups of 15 may marginally decrease the welfare of these animals.

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Weight and season affects androstenone and skatole occurrence in entire male pigs in organic pig production

Cited by 8 publications

References 28 publications

Effect of faecal soiling on skatole and androstenone occurrence in organic entire male pigs

Effect of faecal soiling on skatole and androstenone occurrence in organic entire male pigs

Odeurs indésirables de la viande de porcs mâles non castrés : problèmes et solutions potentielles

Influence of social mixing and group size on skin lesions and mounting in organic entire male pigs

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