Comparison between meat quality of Hanzhong White pigs and carcass weight

Genet Mol Res. 2015 Jun 10;14(2):6059-64. doi: 10.4238/2015.June.8.3.

Abstract

A total of 48 carcasses of crossbred Hanzhong White pigs were divided into 3 groups (I, 90-99 kg; II, 100-109 kg; III, 110-119 kg) to investigate the influence of carcass weight on meat quality. The intramuscular fat content of the 3 groups increased from 1.90 to 4.90%; for meat color, Warner-Bratzler shear force, drip loss, and oxidation-type muscle fiber percentage, and muscle fiber diameter of the longissimus lumborum, the indices in group II and group III were better than those in group I (P < 0.05). The saturated fatty acid and polyunsaturated fatty acid percentages of the longissimus lumborum muscle (2.80 and 37.30%, respectively) in group II were significantly lower than those in the other 2 groups, while the monounsaturated fatty acid percentage was the highest (59.10%). In conclusion, our results suggest that a carcass weight of 100-109 kg is sufficient to produce acceptable meat quality of Hanzhong White pigs.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adipose Tissue / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Body Composition
  • Body Weight*
  • Meat / standards*
  • Muscle, Skeletal / chemistry
  • Muscle, Skeletal / cytology*
  • Swine