Effects of pig birth (first 3-wk period) and rearing environments on growth and muscle quality characteristics of loins were evaluated in three experiments over seasons in west Texas and central Missouri. Housing systems included indoor slatted-floor buildings, indoor deep-bedded buildings, outdoor housing on dirt, and outdoor housing on alfalfa pasture. Experiments were conducted during the growing/finishing phases and pigs were slaughtered at the same age. Loins were collected, vacuum-packaged, and stored for 14 d at 2 degrees C. Pigs born and finished in an outdoor environment during the summer months (Exp. 1) had a greater ADG (0.92 vs 0.82+/-0.06 kg/d, P < 0.05) and had heavier carcass weights (87.9 vs 78.4+/-2.4 kg, P < 0.05) than pigs born and finished in an indoor environment with a slatted-floor finishing building. Carcasses from the outdoor-reared group measured a larger (P < 0.05) loineye area and were fatter (P < 0.01) at the first rib, last rib, and last lumbar vertebra measurements than carcasses from the indoor-reared group. Loin chops from outdoor-reared pigs had darker color scores in the retail display case throughout the 4-d period, measured lower L* values on d 1, and had more discoloration and browning on d 4 than loin chops from the indoor-reared group. During the winter months (Exp. 2), no difference was detected in ADG, carcass measurements, sensory characteristics, or shear force values from indoor-born pigs placed in either an outdoor or indoor finishing environment. Pigs finished on deep bedding (Exp. 3) had heavier carcass weights and more backfat (P < 0.01) than pigs finished on slats, but no differences were detected in sensory panel or shear force results. Overall, carcass measurements, pH, drip loss, sensory panel, and shear force values were similar among the groups finished in different housing systems. Outdoor or deep-bedded systems may increase growth rates of pigs if suitable land area and resources are available, but pork quality of loins will be similar for pigs finished in either conventional or alternative systems.

The objective of this experiment was to determine the effect of diverse production systems on pig performance, muscle characteristics, and their relation to pork quality measures. Birth and rearing conditions were evaluated using 48 barrows during the fall/winter months. Pigs were farrowed in either indoor crates or outdoor huts. At weaning, indoor- and outdoor-born pigs were allotted randomly to treatments arranged in a 2 x 2 factorial design with two birth (indoor vs. outdoor) and rearing (indoor vs. outdoor) environments. Pigs housed indoors were on concrete-slatted flooring (1.2 m2/pig), and pigs housed outdoors were on an alfalfa pasture (212 m2/pig). Body weight data were collected. Muscle samples were removed within 1 h postmortem from the longissimus (LM) and semimembranosus (SM) muscles. Muscle samples were stained histochemically to identify type I, IIA, and IIB/X muscle fibers. Boneless loins were collected from the left side of each carcass and aged for 14 d. Objective and subjective color measurements were taken on the longissimus muscle at the 10th rib on d 14 postmortem. Loin chops were evaluated for sensory attributes, shear force, and retail display features. Pigs born outdoors were heavier and had a greater ADG at most growth intervals postweaning (d 28, 56, and 112; P < 0.05) than pigs born indoors. Pigs reared outdoors were heavier (P = 0.02) at d 140 (120.1 vs. 112.9 +/- 4.9 kg), and had higher (P = 0.01) ADG (2.2 vs. 1.9 kg/d) and gain:feed ratios (0.41 vs. 0.37) than did pigs reared indoors. Birth x rearing environment interactions were not significant (P > 0.10) for most measures. Carcass and meat quality measures did not differ (P > 0.05) among treatment groups, but loin chops from outdoor born or reared pigs had higher (P < 0.05) a* values than chops from pigs born or reared indoors. The LM muscle of pigs born outdoors had a higher (P < 0.01) percentage of type I, and a lower (P < 0.05) percentage of type IIA fibers than did pigs born indoors. Pigs reared outdoors had a higher (P < 0.01) percentage of IIA fibers and a lower (P < 0.05) percentage of IIB/X fibers than did pigs reared indoors for the LM and SM muscles. Outdoor production systems may influence growth, pork color, and muscle fiber types.

Vitamin D3 was orally supplemented to determine the supplemental dose that improved beef tenderness in different cattle breed types. Feedlot steers (n = 142) were arranged in a 4 x 3 factorial arrangement consisting of four levels of supplemental vitamin D3 (0, 0.5, 1, and 5 million IU/steer daily) administered for eight consecutive days antemortem using three biological types (Bos indicus, Bos Taurus-Continental, and Bos Taurus-English). Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) was measured at 3, 7, 10, 14, and 21 d postmortem, and trained sensory analysis was conducted at 7 d postmortem on LM, semimembranosus, gluteus medius, and supraspinatus steaks. Concentrations of vitamin D3 and the metabolites 25-hydroxyvitamin D3, and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 were determined in the LM, liver, kidney, and plasma. Biological type of cattle did not interact (P > 0.10) with vitamin D3 supplementation for sensory or tenderness traits, suggesting that feeding vitamin D3 for 8 d before slaughter affected the different biological types of cattle similarly. Supplementing steers with 0.5, 1, or 5 million IU/(steer(d) decreased (P < 0.05) LM WBSF at 7, 10, 14, and 21 d postmortem compared with controls, and vitamin D3 treatments of 0.5, 1, and 5 million IU decreased (P < 0.05) semimembranosus WBSF at 3, 7, and 14 d postmortem. In general, vitamin D3-induced improvements in WBSF were most consistent and intense in LM steaks. Sensory panel tenderness was improved (P < 0.05) by all vitamin D3 treatments in LM steaks. Sensory traits ofjuiciness, flavor, connective tissue, and off-flavor were not (P > 0.05) affected by vitamin D3 treatments. All vitamin D3 treatments decreased micro-calpain activity and increased muscle Ca concentrations (P < 0.05). Vitamin D3 concentrations were increased (P < 0.05) by supplementation in all tissues tested (liver, kidney, LM, and plasma); however, cooking steaks to 71 degrees C decreased (P < 0.05) treatment residue effects. The vitamin D metabolite 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 was increased (P < 0.05) only in plasma samples as a result of the vitamin D3 treatments. These results indicate that supplementation with vitamin D3 at 0.5 million IU/steer daily for eight consecutive days before slaughter improved tenderness in steaks from different subprimal cuts by affecting muscle Ca concentrations, micro-calpain activities, and muscle proteolysis, with only a small effect on tissue residues of vitamin D3.

Birth and rearing conditions were evaluated for their effects on pig growth, body composition, and pork quality using 48 barrows during the spring and summer months. Pigs were either farrowed in indoor crates or outdoor huts. At weaning, indoor-born and outdoor-born pigs were randomly allotted to indoor or outdoor treatments for growing/finishing. Body weight data were collected. Pigs were transported 5 h to a commercial processing plant, allowed 2 h of rest, and then processed as a group under commercial conditions. Boneless loins were collected from the left side of each carcass and aged for 14 d. Objective and subjective color measurements were taken on the longissimus muscle at the 10th rib on d 14 postmortem. Loin chops were evaluated for sensory attributes, shear force, and retail display features. Pigs born outdoors were heavier and had greater ADG at all growth intervals after weaning (d 28, 56, 112, and final weight, P < 0. 05) than pigs born indoors. Outdoor-born pigs had heavier carcass weights (91.2 vs 81.3+/-3.4 kg, P < 0.001), larger loineye areas (54.6 vs 49.7+/-0.2 cm , P < 0.05), and higher pork flavor intensity scores (6.5 vs 6.1+/-0.10, P < 0.01) than indoor-born pigs. Birth x rearing environment interactions were not significant for most measures. Backfat measurements at the last rib were greater (3.2 vs 2.8+/-0.05 cm, P < 0.05) for the pigs reared outdoors than for the pigs reared indoors. Pigs finished outdoors had more reddish pink color scores, lower shear force values, and lower L* values, indicating darker-colored pork, compared with pigs finished indoors (P < 0.05). Pig birth environment played a significant role in improving growth rates of outdoor-born pigs and increasing pork flavor intensity scores of loin chops from pigs born outdoors. Finishing pigs outdoors may improve pork color and tenderness but also may increase backfat thickness when they are fed conventional diets.

The objective of this experiment was to determine if increased space and exercise for finisher pigs (0.90 vs 9.45 m2/pig) affects performance, meat quality, or muscle fiber characteristics. Newsham barrows (n = 32, 4 pens/treatment) were placed in one of two space allocations: control space allowance (CONT) or in a long pen with increased space allowance (10x). Pigs were weighed every 28 d and feed intake/pen was calculated. Pigs were filmed for behavioral analysis on d 70 and 100 using video recorders to determine walking distances over a 24-h period. After a 5-h transport and 2-h rest period, pigs (approximately 115 kg) were slaughtered on the same day at a commercial facility. Muscle samples were obtained from the longissimus lumborum (LL) and semimembranosus (SM) muscles within 1 h postmortem for muscle fiber typing. Backfat thickness and pH decline were measured on the left side of each carcass. After 24-h chilling, a boneless loin was collected from each pig and stored at 2 degrees C until analyzed. On d 14 postmortem, loins were cut at the 10th rib for color evaluations, and chops were cut for Warner-Bratzler shear (WBS) force and sensory analysis. Histochemical staining methods were used for the detection of type I, IIA, and IIB/X muscle fiber types. There were no significant differences (P > 0.10) in live weight, ADG, ADFI, or G:F ratio of the two experimental groups evaluated. Pigs finished in 10x pens walked a greater (P < 0.01) distance over a 24-h period than pigs finished in the CONT pens. Pigs finished in the lOx pens were fatter (P < 0.05) at the last lumbar vertebra than pigs finished in the CONT pens, but no significant differences were found in loineye area, loin color, marbling scores, WBS, sensory panel scores, retail display measures, or muscle fiber type percentages. Expanded space allowance to increase exercise resulted in no improvements in pig performance, pork loin measures, or muscle characteristics.