Meat quality and boar taint in entire male pigs fattened to 90 kg

Abstract

Abstract. The aim of the present study was to investigate the chemical composition, technological traits and incidence of boar taint of meat from entire male pigs from two of the commonest breeds reared in Bulgaria: Landrace and Danube White. Fifty meat samples from entire male pigs (22 Landrace and 28 Danube White) fattened to average live weight of 90 kg were investigated. The chemical composition of Landrace pig meat was characterised with insignificantly lower fat and mineral content compared to Danube White meat. There were no significant differences between both breeds as technological properties of meat (pH, water holding capacity, and cooking loss) were concerned. The breed had a statistically significant effect on meat marbling (р<0.001). Landrace meat exhibited insignificantly higher incidence of the unpleasant boar taint as compared to Danube White meat (27.27% and 25.00%, respectively)