The influence of age and sex on carcass characteristics and chemical composition of the longissimus thoracis et lumborum muscle in wild boars (<i>Sus scrofa</i>)

Abstract

Abstract. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of age and sex on carcass characteristics and the chemical composition of the longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) muscle in wild boars (Sus scrofa). Carcass quality parameters varied significantly depending on age and sex, whereas the protein and collagen contents in the muscle were affected by animal age. The carcasses of male yearlings and adults were characterised by the highest processing suitability, which can be attributed to the highest percentage of lean meat in the carcass and a moderate fat and bone content. A higher fat content was found in carcasses of females from all age groups, and a lower bone content was found in yearlings and adult females. The protein content was the highest in the LTL muscle of adult boars, and the collagen content was the highest in piglets; thus, the chemical composition of the muscle was most desirable in adult wild boars and least desirable in piglets.

Content and Solubility of Collagen and Their Relation to Proximate Composition and Shear Force of Meat from Different Anatomical Location in Carcass of European Beaver (Castor fiber)

“…Dominik et al [56] found significant (p < 0.05) difference (5.70 mg/g vs. 10.13 mg/g) only in the content of total collagen between leg (m. gluteus medius) and shoulder (m. triceps brachii) of farmed fallow deer (Dama dama), while the proportion of soluble collagen was comparable in both muscles (27.93% and 24.42%, respectively). The collagen content in wild boar loin (m. longissimus thoracis et lumborum) was significantly higher in boars up to 1 year (8 mg/g) compared with animals aged between 1 and 3 years (6 mg/g) [57]. A lower content of total collagen compared to the presented results obtained for beavers was also reported by the authors for the muscles of domestic animals.…”

“…The results obtained in the presented study indicate that beaver muscles contain more total and soluble collagen compared to the muscle tissue of other game species such as red deer [55], fallow deer [56] or wild boar [57]. The total collagen content and the percentage of water-soluble collagen in m. longissimus of red deer were 6.33 mg/g and 9.01% [55].…”

Sustainable Delicacy: Variation in Quality and Sensory Aspects in Wild Boar (Sus scrofa) Meat and Comparison to Pork Meat—A Case Study

“…The reason for the large variation in weight for wild boars can be due to such factors as age, availability of feed and individual variations. Ludwiczak et al [ 23 ] also found a similar variation in juveniles and sub-adult wild boars between 24 and 60 kg measured as dressed field weight, and Zmijewski & Modzelewska-Kapitula [ 13 ] found a variation from 18 to 62 kg between 1- and 3-year-old animals. The pigs, on the other hand, are produced under controlled conditions, were of the same breed and were slaughtered at about the same age and weight, which gives a more homogeneous carcass weight.…”

“…However, the variations in the quality of wild boar meat, especially sensory aspects such as colour, taste, odour and tenderness are expected to be high due to the fact that the animals have quite a variation in diet depending on the region they live in and over the year (due to different feed sources available depending on the season) [ 12 ], as well as hunting techniques used, the gender of the animals and their age at slaughter [ 13 , 14 ]. Mature boars could develop so-called boar taint, an unpleasant odour caused by androstenone and skatole and other compounds [ 15 , 16 ].…”