Effects of various pre-slaughter conditions on pig carcasses and meat quality in a low-input slaughter facility

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of gender, slaughter weight, stocking density, lairage time and season on carcass and meat quality parameters in a low-input production system. The study was conducted on 400 slaughter pigs (200 barrows and 200 gilts) with live weight of 115.0 ± 4.70 kg. Barrows had higher slaughter and carcass weights, fat thickness and lower meatiness. Heavier pigs had higher hot and cold carcass weights, fat thickness, lower meatiness, and higher incidences of pale, soft and exudative (PSE) and dark, firm and dry (DFD) meat. Low stocking density during transportation increased skin lesion score, pH45 value and the incidence of DFD meat; while high stocking density decreased pH45 value and increased T45 value and the incidence of PSE meat. Long lairaging reduced slaughter weight, carcass weight, dressing percentage and backfat thickness and increased skin lesion score. After overnight lairaging, pH45 value and the incidence of DFD meat became higher. After short lairaging, the pH45 value was lower, while the incidence of PSE meat increased. Pigs slaughtered in winter had the highest slaughter weight, backfat thickness, pH45 value and incidence of DFD, and the lowest meatiness. Pigs slaughtered in summer had the lowest slaughter and carcass weights and pH45 value, and the highest incidence of PSE meat. In conclusion, gender influenced carcass quality, slaughter weight and lairage time, and season affected carcass and meat quality, while stocking density had an impact on meat quality.Keywords: DFD meat, gender, lairage time, low-input slaughter system, PSE meat, season, slaughter weight, stocking densit

The interactive effects of transportation and lairage time on welfare indicators, carcass and meat quality traits in slaughter pigs

This study assessed the effects of transportation and lairage time and their interaction on welfare, carcass and meat quality traits in slaughter pigs under commercial conditions. The study was conducted on 120 pigs with a live weight of approximately 115 kg and about six months old. A complete blood picture was measured in pigs to assess preslaughter stress. Also, nine different carcass quality parameters including live weight, hot and cold carcass weights, cooling loss, dressing percentage, backfat thickness, meatiness and skin lesions score were measured. The pH and temperature measurements were performed 45 minutes post-mortem. The results showed that short transportation time and slaughtering without lairaging and long transportation time and overnight lairaging negatively influenced the hematological parameters, which meant that the animal welfare was seriously compromised under these pre-slaughter conditions. Long transportation time and overnight lairaging reduced live and carcass weights and increased the incidence of skin lesions on the carcass and DFD pork. In addition, short transportation time and slaughtering without lairaging caused a significant deterioration in pork quality. It can be concluded that, from the standpoint of animal welfare, carcass and meat quality, the above-mentioned pre-slaughter conditions are not recommended to the farmers and/or pork producers

Qualitative properties of traditionally produced dry fermented sausages from meat of the autochthonous Mangalitsa pig breed

The interest in autochthonous meat products from local pig breeds managed in comprehensive, sustainable breeding programs is expanding in Europe. Dry fermented sausages in Serbia and other southern European countries are highly appreciated food specialties. It is, therefore, desirable that study attempts to improve the quality of food and the security of traditional, dry sausages will result in products that are of higher added value and have quality standards that best meet the needs of contemporary customers. Meat and meat products from traditional pig breeds usually have an excellent public and media reputation, and are often regarded as better than the meat and meat products of conventionally raised pigs and crossbreed pigs. Traditional, dry fermented sausages, with their characteristic chemical contents and sensory properties, can be produced with suitable proportions of meat and backfat from the indigenous Mangalitsa pig breed. These outcomes should hopefully encourage the sustainable breeding of endangered Mangalitsa pigs, as there are market opportunities for kulen and sremska sausages

Effects of various pre-slaughter conditions on pig carcasses and meat quality in a low-input slaughter facility

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of gender, slaughter weight, stocking density, lairage time and season on carcass and meat quality parameters in a low-input production system. The study was conducted on 400 slaughter pigs (200 barrows and 200 gilts) with live weight of 115.0 +/- 4.70 kg. Barrows had higher slaughter and carcass weights, fat thickness and lower meatiness. Heavier pigs had higher hot and cold carcass weights, fat thickness, lower meatiness, and higher incidences of pale, soft and exudative (PSE) and dark, firm and dry (DFD) meat. Low stocking density during transportation increased skin lesion score, pH(45) value and the incidence of DFD meat; while high stocking density decreased pH45 value and increased T-45 value and the incidence of PSE meat. Long lairaging reduced slaughter weight, carcass weight, dressing percentage and backfat thickness and increased skin lesion score. After overnight lairaging, pH(45) value and the incidence of DFD meat became higher. After short lairaging, the pH45 value was lower, while the incidence of PSE meat increased. Pigs slaughtered in winter had the highest slaughter weight, backfat thickness, pH(45) value and incidence of DFD, and the lowest meatiness. Pigs slaughtered in summer had the lowest slaughter and carcass weights and pH(45) value, and the highest incidence of PSE meat. In conclusion, gender influenced carcass quality, slaughter weight and lairage time, and season affected carcass and meat quality, while stocking density had an impact on meat quality

Determination of the Fatty Acids in Fish Tissue and Feed - Comparison of Different Methods and Statistical Evaluation

With the aim to reinforce laboratory competence in the field of testing the quality of fish from aquaculture, a study on the precision of fatty acid (FA) analyses in fish meat and fish feed was undertaken. Different methods were performed in laboratories. In situ transesterification method and extraction of lipids from the fish were followed by capillary gas chromatography with flame ionization detection. The reproducibility (R) values of the majority of FM were less than 3% of their absolute values. Differences in calculating ionization detector response factors and/or autoxidation caused by faulty sample-handling could lead to variation in quantification of FAs in fish, especially for FA C22:6n-3. Statistical analysis showed a significant correlation between the two laboratories quantifications of FM in fish and fish feed (Pearsons correlation coefficient; r = 0.987, r = 0.994, and r = 0.997; for fish Z [trout], fish g [rainbow trout], and fish feed, respectively). Overall, adequate accuracy was obtained in this study. The proposed method provides a fast and efficient means of identifying fish and feed for quality control purposes

Changes in chemical and physicochemical characteristics during the production of traditional Sremska sausage

The aim of this trial was to investigate changes in chemical and physic-chemical parameters during the production of traditional Sremska sausage (dry fermented sausage) from pork of three pig breeds: Mangalitsa (MA), Moravka (MO) and Swedish Landrace (SL). Analyses of all variants of sausages were carried out after stuffing (day 0) and on production days 3, 7, 14 and 21. The reduction in moisture during production caused the increase in protein, fat and ash contents (p<0.001) in all three variants of sausages, were found to be within the range for this type of sausages. Higher fat content in MA and MO sausages compared to SL variant was most likely a result of the different chemical composition of the meat from pigs of autochthonous breeds. All three sausage variants had a similar final pH value, but the mildest drop of pH was determined in MA sausages. Pig breed significantly affected (p<0.05) all three indicators of oxidative changes (thiobarbituric acid value, peroxide value and free fatty acid content). It was found that they were higher in SL compared with MA and MO sausages and to significantly increase during the production process

Publisher: Institute for Animal Husbandry, Belgrade-Zemun UDC 636.4 DOI: 10.2298/BAH1002021P QUALITY TRAITS OF CARCASS SIDES AND MEAT OF MORAVKA AND MANGALITSA PIG BREEDS

Original scientific paper Abstract: Objective of this paper was to evaluate phenotypic variability of carcass side traits and quality of meat of fatteners (male castrated heads) of Moravka breed (M) and Mangalitsa (swallow-belly Mangalitsa – LM). The quantity and content of meat were determined based on dissection of left carcass sides (Walstra and Merkus, 1996). Also, nutritive properties of musculus longissimus dorsi (m.l.d.) were established. Obtained data were processed using GLM procedure of the program package SAS 9.1.3 (SAS Inst.Inc., 2002-2003). Results of the study show that Moravka fatteners had longer carcass sides (+6.82 and + 5.00 cm) compared to Mangalitsa breed, corrected to average body weight at slaughtering. Fatteners of M breed had in average higher total mass of back-loin part (+0.685, P&lt;0.05) and average quantity of muscles in the same part of carcass side (+0.631 kg, P&lt;0.01), compared to fatteners of LM breed. Also, they had higher quantity of muscle in belly-rib part (+0.237 kg, P&lt;0.05) compared to LM. Share of muscle tissue in back-loin and belly-rib carcass side parts corrected for WCC, was higher in M carcass sides than in LM (P&lt;0.01). Conversely, muscle tissue content in shoulders of Mangalitsa was higher (+4.8 % ; P&lt;0.05) than in Moravka. Share of muscle tissue in carcass sides of M pigs was by 4.3 % higher compared to LM carcass sides. In m.l.d. of Moravka water content was higher (+6.1%, P&lt;0.01), content of total lipids (-6.5%, P&lt;0.05) and cholesterol (-19.68 mg/100 g, P&lt;0.001) was lower than in Mangalitsa. Key words: pig, native autochthonous breed, Moravka, Mangalitsa, carcass, meat qualit

Cholesterol and total fatty acid content in m. longissimus dorsi of Mangalitsa and Swedish Landrace

The objective of this paper is to investigate variability in chemical composition, total fatty acid and cholesterol content in m. longissimus dorsi (MLD) of Mangalitsa, swallow-belly (LM) and white (BM), and Swedish Landrace pigs (SL). Compared to SL, the total fat content has been 14.2% higher in BM, while it has been 10.2% higher in LM. SL fatteners contained significantly less cholesterol in MLD compared to LM and BM (−13.6 and −14.8%, P≤0.05). A higher percentage of SFA (+8.5 and +10.1%, P≤0.05) and PUFA (+8.0 and +9.4%, P≤0.05) has been established in MLD, originating from SL fatteners, compared to both Mangalitsa strains. The total MUFA content was higher in LM and BM than in SL (P≤0.05). A phenotypic correlation between protein content and ashes with water content in MLD has been positive (0.81 and 0.88), while the correlation between water content and total fats has been found to be negative (−0.99). A negative phenotypic correlation between MUFA and SFA, as well as PUFA and MUFA (−0.97 and −0.98) has been established, statistically significant at the level of P≤0.001. A positive phenotypic correlation between PUFA and SFA (0.90), statistically significant at the level of P≤0.001, has been found