No abstract

No abstract

To compare growth, skeletal development, carcass traits and meat quality of different genotypes, 10 Casertana (CT), 10 Italian Large White (LW) and 10 Duroc x (Landrace x Italian Large White) (DU) crosses, barrows of 90 days of age, were allotted to the same outdoor rearing and feeding conditions. Live weight was recorded and average daily gain (ADG) was calculated. At slaughter (330-day-old) dressing and lean percentages were determined; backfat thickness and loin eye depth were measured. Carcasses were dissected into commercial cuts. Water holding capacity, pH and colour (45 min and 24 h post-mortem) were measured. Longissimus lumborum muscle samples were collected for cholesterol, α-tochopherol and intramuscular collagen (IMC) analyses. CT compared to DU and LW had the lowest growth rate and skeletal development.Casertana showed higher backfat thickness, lower lean cut/fatty cut ratio and less lean meat (P<0.05). Loin eye depth differed among genotypes with LW>DU>CT (P<0.05). CT showed higher red colour of the meat than DU and LW (P<0.05). CT compared to LW had the highest hydroxylysylpiridinoline (HLP) crosslink concentration and HLP/IMC ratio, and a lower IMC amount (P<0.05). Casertana pigs produced meat that could be tougher than that from the improved breed, but more acceptable from the technological point of view.At eleven months of age bone weight, length and diameter were clearly genetic type-related; differently, the bone maturity was similar among the genotypes studied.

The effects of different slaughter weights (W) and sex (S) on carcass traits and longissimus dorsi meat quality (pH, WHC, colour, cholesterol and collagen) of Casertana pigs were studied. Thirty-six pure breed Casertana pigs, 24 barrows (B) and 12 gilts (G), were evaluated in a 2x2 factorial design involving different slaughter live weights (L, 125.6 kg; H, 152.5 kg) and S (B and G). H pigs had higher carcass weight (P<0.01), dressing percentage (P<0.05), ham yield (+ 7.9 %; P<0.01), lean meat cuts (P<0.01) and backfat thickness (+13.3%; P<0.05), and lower (P<0.01) loin yield and fatty cuts. W did not affect pH and WHC. L pigs produced lighter (P<0.01) and more yellow meat (P<0.01), while H pigs showed lower (P<0.01) hue value. Cholesterol content resulted higher (P<0.05) in H pig meat. Collagen properties were affected by W. Compared to G, B had higher dressing percentage (P<0.05) and backfat thickness (P<0.01), smaller loin area (P<0.01), slightly lower (P<0.08) loin yield and less (P<0.01) lean cuts. S did not affect any meat quality traits

No abstract