Comparison of Carcass Characteristics and Meat Quality between Duroc and Crossbred Pigs

Abstract

This study was conducted to compare the carcass characteristics and meat quality characteristics of Duroc breed and crossbred pigs (Landrace × Yorkshire × Duroc, LYD). Duroc and crossbred pigs did not show differences in carcass characteristics. Crossbred pigs had higher moisture and protein content than Duroc breeds. However, Duroc breeds had a higher fat content than the crossbred pigs. In meat quality characteristics, crossbred pigs showed higher values of drip loss and cooking loss over Duroc breeds, while Duroc breeds showed higher ultimate pH value compared to that of crossbred pigs. However, there were no differences in water holding capacity and shear force value. In myoglobin content, crossbred pigs had higher content compared to that in the Duroc population. In subjective evaluation and sensory characteristics, Duroc breeds showed significantly higher scores in all categories except for tenderness over the crossbred pigs. However, in storage characteristics, Duroc breeds showed reduced tendency relative to crossbred pigs. Crossbred pigs had higher unsaturated fatty acid content than Duroc breeds did. In these results, Duroc breeds showed excellent meat quality characteristics with its higher intramuscular fat content and pH value, lower drip loss and cooking loss and higher juiciness and flavor, compared to the crossbred pigs.

Meat Quality and Physicochemical Trait Assessments of Berkshire and Commercial 3-way Crossbred Pigs

“…Additionally, C18:1n9, C18:1n7, C18:2n6, C18:3, PUFA, and MUFA levels were significantly greater in Yorkshire × Berkshire pigs, followed by those in Yorkshire × Landrace and then Yorkshire × Chester pigs (Lim et al , 2013). Choi et al (2014) showed that longissimus muscles from Duroc pigs contained higher palmitic acid (C16:0) and SFA levels than those in LYD pigs, but similar eicosenoic acid (C20:1) and USFA levels. We also observed greater oleic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and MUFA levels in Berkshire pigs than in LYD pigs, but no significant differences in SFA, PUFA, or UFA levels.…”

“…Moreover, cross breeds of Duroc × Landrace and Large White × Landrace ( LYD ) pigs produced meat with lower cooking loss and drip loss, leading to higher quality than that from purebred Landrace pigs (Poldvere et al , 2015). Intense meat color and lower drip loss were also observed in Duroc pigs when compared to those in Yorkshire and LYD pigs (Choi et al ., 2014; Li et al ., 2013). In addition, Suzuki et al .…”

“…(2003) showed that variations in fatty acid composition affect meat quality, and fatty acid contents were higher in Duroc pigs than they were in Berkshire pigs, thus Duroc producing greater meat quality than Berkshire . However, coat hair color (black, white, red, white spots in black, black spots in white, and black spots in red coats) was not significantly associated with meat quality (Choi et al , 2014). Berkshire pigs have black glossy hair color, short necks, and erect ears, whereas LYD pigs have white coats.…”

Genomic analyses provide insights into genetic architecture of three-way crossbred pigs

“…Pigs ( Sus scrofa ) were domesticated at least ~9,000 years ago and have been used as a major source of animal protein in the human diet; there are over 730 distinct pig breeds worldwide [5,6]. The worldwide distribution of pigs is dominated by six international transboundary commercial pig breeds originating in Europe, namely, Berkshire, Duroc, Hampshire, Landrace, Piétrain, and Yorkshire, of which Duroc and Hampshire pigs were developed mainly in North America [7].…”

Comparison of Meat Quality from Three-way Crossbred Pigs

“…The production of finishing pigs at farms in Shanghai, China is based on three-way hybridization, including Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire (DLY) and PIC × Landrace × Yorkshire, and Duroc is usually used as the terminal sire breed. The meat of Duroc breed is characterized by high pH, juiciness, flavor, and intramuscular fat (IMF) content; and by low drip and cooking losses [6]. Furthermore, the Duroc crosses also contains high intramuscular fat content [7], and the inclusion of the Duroc breed in maternal lines affects the meat quality and fatty acid composition [8].…”