Systematic studies of progeny derived from somatic cell nuclear transferred animals in their biophysical and biochemical characters are critical in assessing the safety of this kind of food. In this study, we compared the carcass traits and meat quality of 12 cloned and noncloned pigs, respectively, and chemical composition of tissues of 6 cloned and noncloned pigs, respectively. The carcass trait parameters, including body weight, carcass straight length, loin-eye area, backfat thickness at 10th and 11th interface, and rib number, were tested, and carcass yield was calculated. Meat quality parameters, such as meat color, marbling, temperatures, conductivity, and drip loss, were also tested. Finally, the gross chemical properties and the constitutions of fat acids, amino acids, and minerals in loin-eye muscle, omental fat, and liver from the two groups were tested. The results showed that the value for most parameters of these two groups was equivalent. In conclusion, these data indicated that the progeny of cloned pig were not different in the carcass traits, meat composition, and biochemical composition of tissues compared to the conventionally bred pigs, which further indicated the safety of products from cloned pigs.
Keywords: SCNT; carcass; food safety; meat; pig.