Agriculture, Vol. 11 No. 2, 2005.
Original scientific paper
SLAUGHTERING TRAITS OF PIGS REARED CONVENTIONALLY AND ON DEEP LITTER
Gordana Kralik
V. Margeta
Z. Škrtić
Danica Hanžek
Abstract
The aim of this research was to compare slaughtering traits of two pig genotypes when reared in two different ways, and to determine the influence of pig housing on carcass characteristics and muscle tissue quality. The research was carried out on 68 fattening pigs of both sex, divided into two groups: the first group was kept on deep litter, and the second one was housed in flat deck pens without deep litter. Each group consisted of pigs of two genotypes, i.e. three-way crossbreeds of Large White and German Landrace (LW x GL) in the dam line and of German Landrace and Pietrain (P) in the sire line. At the end of the experiment, pigs were slaughtered and the following values were determined: the pH45 and pH24 values, electric conductivity values (EC45, EC24), the “a” and “b” carcass length, loin values and the values of backfat and muscle thickness, aiming to evaluate the share of muscular tissue in carcass by applying the two-points method. Pigs reared on deep litter had statistically significantly smaller live weights (P<0.05) and warm carcass weights in comparison to pigs reared on flat deck without deep litter. Pigs crossed with Pietrain, which were kept without deep litter had significantly thicker muscles than the ones crossed with German Landrace, kept on deep litter (P<0.05). Fattening pigs of both genotypes, reared without deep litter, had significantly smaller pH45 values in loins and in MLD, when compared to pigs crossed with Pietrain and kept on deep litter (P<0.05). The influence of genotype was statistically significant for the EC45 value in loin, as well as for the muscle thickness and percentage share of muscular tissue (P<0.05). Interaction between the way of fattening and genotype did not have any effect on carcass and meat quality.
Keywords
pigs; rearing; deep litter; slaughtering traits; genotype; interaction
Hrčak ID:
11945
URI
Publication date:
20.12.2005.
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