INFLUENCE OF FEEDING ON CARCASS QUALITY OF PIGS ON FAMILY FARMS

Abstract

This study involved 30 carcasses of Hypor ABCD – Euribrid pigs divided into two groups (A and B), 15 pigs each (8 females and 7 males). Pigs from group A were fattened in very good environmental conditions and fed by a high quality diet containing 16,5% proteins during the whole fattening period; pigs from group B were fattenend in old barns, significantly worse environment with low hygienic conditions and fed by usual home made diets (frequently from low quality and unreliable components-especially corn). Crude protein level untill reaching approximately 60 kg was 16.0% (ST-1), and by the end of the fattenig 14.0% (ST-2). After slaughtering, cooled carcasses were dissected (according to Weniger et al., 1963). Statistically significant differences (P<0.01) were found between muscle tissue shares in carcasses from group A (57.54%) and group B (54.29%) by dissection and separation into main tissues. The (P<0.01) differences in shares of muscle and fatty tissues were also found in some individual parts of the carcass (ham, loins and shoulder). Meat quality traits (pH1, pH2, W.h.c. and color) and chemical composition of muscle and fat, according to calculated means, are within boundaries for «normal» meat in all carcasses involved in the research