the aim of the study was to examine the assimilability of organic and inorganic selenium supplied as an additive to pig feed. The influence of both selenium forms on pig slaughter value as well as on the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of meat was also examined (experiment i). an attempt to establish the distribution of selenium in the body of experimental fatteners was made (experiment ii). Experiment i was performed on 20 carcasses of crossbred pigs of (polish large White × polish landrace) × duroc genotype and experiment ii was carried out on 45 samples of longissimus and semimembranosus muscles taken from fatteners of the same genotype (plW × pl × duroc). the results obtained indicated that selenium supplementation in the diet had no impact on slaughter performance, meat quality and most physicochemical and sensory characteristics of meat. Selenium was found to have no significant effect on meat colour. The meat water holding capacity (Whc) was lower in the group of pigs fed organic selenium. the highest selenium concentration was found in the semimembranosus muscle of fatteners receiving the inorganic selenium additive.

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ABSTRACT:The study was conducted on 32 hybrids of (Polish Large White × Danish Landrace) × Duroc breeds fed similar energy content feed, however differing in fat diet supplements. The animals were divided into four groups in which the following fat supplements were added to the feed: A -rapeseed and linseed oils, B -rapeseed and fish oils + swine fat, C -linseed and fish oils, D -rapeseed and linseed oils + lard. The carcass slaughter value was estimated and physicochemical and sensory traits of longissimus lumborum (LL) and triceps brachii (TB) muscles were determined. The content of fatty acids in the subcutaneous fat of the loin as well as in the raw LL and TB muscles was estimated as well. It was shown that there were no significant differences in the range of slaughter value traits and meat quality between the groups. However, it was found that different kinds of supplemented fat had a different effect on the content of the polyunsaturated fatty acids in the backfat and in the raw LL muscle. The lowest level of fatty acids characterized the group of pigs fed with supplements consisting of rapeseed and fish oils + lard. The highest values were detected among fatteners supplemented with linseed. The kind of supplemented fat affected the changes in the level of PUFA n-3 fatty acids, especially the linolenic acid C18:3 in backfat. The n-6/n-3 ratio in pigs fed with a greater share of linseed (C and D groups) was better (about 3) than in pigs which obtained a greater portion of rapeseed and fish oils (about 5.5). In both the muscles and fat of fatteners from groups B and C the DHA content was 2-3 times higher than in A and D groups. Higher EPA content was found in the TB muscle.

Abstract. Insulin-like growth factor I, encoded by the IGF-I gene, plays a role in cell growth and differentiation, embryogenesis, metabolism regulation, skeletal growth, and protein synthesis. The aims of this study were to investigate the polymorphism in the 5 flanking region of the IGF-I gene and evaluate associations between the single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in this gene and growth, body size, carcass and meat quality traits in Coloured Polish Merino sheep. In total 78 live and post mortem traits were investigated. Polymorphism in the IGF-I gene was identified with the use of the polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method in 305 Coloured Polish Merino sheep. In association studies, traits of interest were analysed with the use of the MIXED and GENMOD procedures of the SAS statistical package. Two alleles named A and B, and two IGF-I genotypes -AA and AB -were detected. The A allele and the AA genotype were predominant, with the frequencies of 91.6 and 83.3 %, respectively. The IGF-I genotype was found to have a highly significant effect on fore shank weight (P = 0.006), kidney fat class (P = 0.002) and EUROP fat class (P = 0.005). Furthermore, the IGF-I genotype significantly affected external fatness of carcass class (P = 0.038), drip loss (P = 0.049), and subjective assessment of meat colour (P = 0.043), and it tended to be associated with longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle width (P = 0.063) and flavour (0.067). Concluding, the IGF-I gene could be considered as a candidate gene of selected carcass and meat quality traits in sheep.