Boar taint in very small organic entire male pigs - preliminary results

Very small entire male pigs can be part of a new concept of organic seasonal production of pigs. The concept includes outdoor production of small entire male pigs, very large female pigs and sows slaughtered after first litter. The entire males and the sows are slaughtered in the summer and the female pigs gilts in December. The purpose of the very small entire male pigs is to avoid castration and boar taint at the same time. In order to make the concept special regarding product quality and image, different crossbreeds are considered including a traditional Danish breed. Two seasons (2007 and 2008) are planned. Results of the 2007 season are presented

Økologiske sæsongrise - kødkvalitet for sæson 2007

Kødkvaliteten for sæsonproducerede økologiske små hangrise (ca. 30 kg slagtevægt), store sogrise (100, 90 og 70 kg) og søer slagtet efter første læg (120 og 80 kg) er undersøgt for to sotyper (Landrace x Yorkshire = LY og Sortbroget Dansk Landrace = SB) og tre krydsninger af han- og sogrise (LYxDuroc = LYxD, SBxD og SBxSB). De sortbrogede grise og i lidt mindre grad SBxD har mørkere kød end LY / LYxD grisene og kødfarven er mørkere end hos konventionelle og økologiske slagtesvin ved normal slagtevægt. De sortbrogede grise har måske lidt mindre mørt kød, men forsøgets stikprøve er for lille til at sige noget sikkert. De sortbrogede grise har en speciel smag i fedtet karakteriseret som nøddeagtig og sød. Der er ikke konstateret specielt høj eller lav pH i kødet. De sortbrogede små hangrise har for nogle produkter noget stærkere griselugt og –smag (måske også hangriselugt og –smag) end LYxD krydsningen. Det kan hænge sammen med et højere indhold af skatol i fedtet. Der skal dog en væsentlig større stikprøve til at sige noget sikkert om forekomsten / frekvensen af hangriselugt for de enkelte krydsninger. Androstenon har også betydning for hangriselugt men er ikke analyseret i denne undersøgelse

Kødkvalitet for sæson 2007 og 2008

Kødkvaliteten for sæsonproducerede økologiske små hangrise (ca. 25 kg slagtevægt), store sogrise (ca. 100, 90 og 70 kg) og søer slagtet efter første læg (ca. 130 kg) er undersøgt for to sotyper (Landrace x Yorkshire = LY og ren Sortbroget Dansk Landrace = SB) og tre krydsninger af han- og sogrise (LY x Duroc = LY-D, SB-D og SB-SB). De sortbrogede grise og i lidt mindre grad SB-D har rødere og mørkere kød end LY / LY-D grisene og kødfarven er mørkere end hos konventionelle og økologiske slagtesvin ved normal slagtevægt. De sortbrogede grise har lidt mindre mørt kød (undtagen for søernes skinkesteg). De sortbrogede grise har en speciel smag i fedtet karakteriseret som nøddeagtig og sød. Der er ikke konstateret specielt høj eller lav pH i kødet. De sortbrogede små hangrise ser ud til at have et højere indhold af skatol i spækket men har ikke mere hangriselugt og –smag eller griselugt og –smag end LY-D krydsningen. Der skal dog en væsentlig større stikprøve til at sige noget sikkert om forekomsten / frekvensen af hangriselugt for de enkelte krydsninger. Androstenon har også betydning for hangriselugt men er ikke analyseret i denne undersøgelse

Effect of organic pig production systems on performance and meat quality

The present study was carried out to establish knowledge of consequence for setting up guidelines of importance for production of competitive organic pork of high quality. Performance and meat quality characteristics were compared between three organic pig production systems based on indoor housing with access to an outdoor area and a Danish conventional indoor system including 100% concentrate during the finishing feeding stage. The three organic systems used the following three feeding regimes: 100% organic concentrate according to Danish recommendations, 70% organic concentrate (restricted) plus ad libitum organic barley/pea silage and 70% organic concentrate (restricted) plus ad libitum organic clover grass silage, respectively. With exception of a slightly lower daily gain in organic pigs fed 100% concentrate, no significant difference was found in performance and meat quality characteristics compared with results obtained in the conventional system. In contrast and independent of roughage used, organic pigs raised on 70% concentrate had a significant reduction in daily gain (P < 0.001) compared with pigs raised on 100% concentrate, despite the fact that no difference in feed conversion rate was seen between the tested production systems. However, the percentage of leanness increased significantly in meat from organic pigs raised on 70% concentrate plus roughage compared with meat from pigs given 100% concentrate. This was reflected in higher yield (weight) of lean cuts and lower yield of cuts with high fat content from pigs fed 70% concentrate plus roughage. In general, organic feeding resulted in a significantly higher content of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the back fat (1.8%), which increased further when restricted feeding plus roughage (4%) was used. Restricted concentrate feeding gave rise to a decrease in tenderness compared with pork from pigs fed 100% concentrate

A diversified organic pork production – presentation of a concept based on seasonal outdoor rearing of very small entire males

The risk of boar taint in entire males is supposed to increase with increased age and weight. Thus, a method to reduce this risk may be to slaughter the pigs at a low age and weight. This strategy is investigated as part of a new concept for organic pig production. It is hypothesised that organic pork has to differ markedly from conventional in order to overcome the heavy price competition. A seasonal outdoor rearing system based on production of small entire males, large female pigs and sows slaughtered after their first litter is believed to be a feasible strategy for producing organic pork with high credibility and superior eating quality. The study included a traditional breed, the Danish Black-Spotted. 17 gilts farrowed in April. Within the first week after birth all male pigs, except 2 male pigs per litter, were castrated. The piglets were weaned at 10 weeks of age in June/July but stayed in the paddocks with access to the farrowing hut. The entire male pigs were slaughtered in July at approximately 40 kg live weight. The female pigs were slaughtered in the beginning of November. hvad med Preliminary results showed e.g. a higher daily gain for entire males compared to castrated (390 vs. 332 g per day) and indicated higher content of skatole in the traditional breed compared to a more modern breed

Seasonal organic pig production with a local breed

It is important that organic pork differs markedly from conventional pork regarding taste, appearance and production methods in order to overcome the heavy price competition. That is the hypothesis behind the current project

Mere kvalitet og diversitet i økologisk svineproduktion

Forbruget af økologisk svinekød i Danmark er steget markant de senere år, men på trods af dette er markedsandelen stadigvæk meget ringe. Kun 1% af det svinekød, der købes i Danmark, er økologisk produceret. Dette er væsentligt lavere end f.eks. økologisk mælk og økologiske æg, som har markedsandele på hhv. 35% og 27% (Gfk, 2009). En af forklaringerne kan være en betydelig merpris for økologisk svinekød sammenholdt med, at økologisk svinekød ikke i sig selv adskiller sig fra konventionelt svinekød. Forbrugeren, der står ved køledisken og skal vælge, kan ikke se forskel, og senere kan hun heller ikke smage den store forskel på det konventionelle og økologiske. Det er vigtigt, at økologisk svinekød adskiller sig markant fra konventionelt både med hensyn til smag, udseende og den måde dyrene opdrættes på, hvis forbrugeren skal være villig til at betale merprisen. Dét var idéen bag et forskningsprojekt, hvis formål var at bidrage til udvikling af en mere forskelligartet økologisk svineproduktion med høje standarder for spisekvalitet og etisk kvalitet

Kvalitet og integritet i økologiske æg, kyllinge- og svinekødsprodukter (QEMP)

Gode muligheder for at påvirke kvalitet og øge diversiteten ved at ’skrue på’ race, fodring og slagtealder Fortsat fokus på kvalitet nødvendig (især samspil mellem frilandsproduktion og kvalitet)

Strategies for a diversified organic pork production

Possible reasons for the low market share of organic pork may be heavy price competition with conventional produced pork products combined with no or small distinctive characteristics in appearance and quality, both regarding eating quality (flavour, tenderness) and ethical quality (production methods). The overall aim of this study is to identify strategies for a diversified organic pork production with high credibility and superior eating quality based on pigs foraging in the cropping system, use of a traditional breed and no castration. Preliminary results indicate that the use of a traditional breed, the Danish Black-Spotted pig, might be a way to produce pork, which in appearance differ from conventional pork and at the same time improve the credibility of organic pig production

An international study on the importance of androstenone and skatole for boar taint: IV. Simulation studies on consumer dissatisfaction with entire male pork and the effect of sorting carcasses on the slaughter line, main conclusions and recommendations

An international study has been conducted in order to determine the respective contributions of androstenone and skatole to boar taint and their possible variations according to production systems and consumer populations. The presentation of the study and the main results concerning skatole and androstenone levels and data from sensory evaluation or consumer surveys are reported in companion papers. The present paper summarises the main conclusions of the study and gives tentative recommendations. A simulation study was conducted, based on the skatole and androstenone levels currently observed in European populations of entire male pigs and on the results of the consumer surveys. The first part of the simulation study demonstrated that, overall, 6.5% (odour) and 3.0% (flavour) more consumers were dissatisfied with entire male than with gilt pork. The differences were, however, very variable according to countries. Consumer dissatisfaction for the odour of entire male pork was mostly associated with high skatole levels, while androstenone had little influence on it. On the other hand, androstenone and skatole had similar contributions to the level of dissatisfaction for flavour. From the present study it is not possible to determine clear cut-off levels for androstenone/skatole. The regression equations presented in [Matthews, K. R., Homer, D. B., Punter, P., Béague, M. P., Gispert, M., Siret, F., Leask, H., Fonti i Furnols, M., & Bonneau, M. (2000). An international study on the importance of androstenone, skatole for boar taint: III. Consumer survey in seven European countries. Meat Science, 54, 271–283] provide a basis for decision making. However, due to methodological limitations, the results may underestimate consumer reaction to entire male pork. The second part of the simulation study demonstrated that sorting carcasses on the basis of androstenone/skatole would reduce, but not eliminate, differences in consumer dissatisfaction between entire male and gilt pork. For odour, taking androstenone into account did not improve the efficiency obtained from sorting using skatole only. For flavour, sorting using both compounds was more efficient than sorting using skatole only. Sorting out 15% of the entire males, on the basis of skatole only, would result in a difference in the proportion of dissatisfied consumers of 4.2% (odour) or 2.0% (flavour) between entire male and gilt pork. The results of the last part of the simulation study demonstrated that decreasing skatole in entire male pig populations, to levels as low as 0.10 ppm, would still result in a difference in the proportion of dissatisfied consumers of 3.2% (odour) or 1.6% (flavour). To reduce this difference further, the levels of both compounds would have to be reduced still further. The lowest difference that can be achieved is 2.3% (odour) or 0.4% (flavour). The conclusions of the present study may differ according to whether immediate commercial applications or long-term goals are considered. On the basis of the skatole and androstenone levels currently observed in entire male pig populations, sorting out procedures based on skatole is the easiest way to rapidly achieve a significant decrease in consumer dissatisfaction with entire male pork. In most countries, however, this will not be sufficient to obtain the same level of acceptability as with gilts. In the long term, a sharp reduction in both skatole and androstenone would have to be achieved in entire male pig populations to obtain low differences in acceptability between entire male and gilt pork