Growth, Carcass and Meat Quality of Casertana, Italian Large White and Duroc x (Landrace x Italian Large White) Pigs Reared Outdoors

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.

Influence of production system in local and conventional pig breeds on stress indicators at slaughter, muscle and meat traits and pork eating quality

“…It is also in agreement with the results reported for IMF proportion (Labroue et al, 2000) or marbling density (Alfonso et al, 2005) in this breed, and confirms the great potential of local pig breeds for IMF deposition (Lebret, 2008;Pugliese and Sirtori, 2012). In agreement with the present results, lower LM collagen concentrations and higher proportion of non-reducible, thermo-resistant collagen cross-links were found in local Casertana compared with LW pigs at 330 days of age (Maiorano et al, 2013). Altogether, this indicates a lower muscle collagen concentration in local than in conventional breeds, despite a smaller loin eye area (personal data), suggesting a lower 'dilution rate' of collagen by muscle fibres in the local breeds, when compared at the same BW and also at the same age.…”

“…Accordingly, higher pHu and redness and lower lightness and drip loss were found in the loin from other local breeds compared with the LW pigs (e.g. Labroue et al, 2000 in Gascon andMaiorano et al, 2013 in Casertana pigs).…”

Growth performance, meat quality traits, and genetic mapping of quantitative trait loci in 3 generations of Japanese quail populations (Coturnix japonica)

“…No information is available from current literature on the effect of sex or hatch on IMC properties in quails. Differences in collagen content and maturity between the sex of animals, attributed to hormonal effect, has been reported in findings on pork, beef, lamb, and deer (reviewed in Maiorano et al, 2013). However, the question of sex differences in terms of IMC seems to vary with species.…”

Influence of rearing system and sex on carcass traits and meat quality of broiler chickens

“…In contrast, Alvarado et al (2005) found that outdoor access resulted in higher pH. Nevertheless, literature often reported that meat from poultry (Ponte et al 2008) and pigs (Maiorano et al 2013) reared on outdoor access is characterized by lower pH indicating more glycogen in the muscle at slaughter, which then results in more lactate in the post-mortem process (Bonneau and Lebret 2010). However, the pH u values (ranging from 5.63-5.76) observed in this study varied within the pH range accepted for commercial meats.…”