The pattern of fat and lean muscle tissue deposition differs in the different pork primal cuts of female pigs during the finisher growth phase

Authors

D N. D'Souza, Department of Agriculture, WAFollow
D W. Pethick, Murdoch University
F R. Dunshea, Victorian Institute of Animal ScienceFollow
D Suster, Victorian Institute of Animal Science
J R. Pluske, Murdoch UniversityFollow
B P. Mullan, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Western AustraliaFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-11-2004

Journal Title

Livestock Production Science

ISSN

2408-5499

Keywords

Carcass composition, Age, Pigs, Fat deposition, Intramuscular fat

Disciplines

Animal Sciences | Meat Science

Abstract

Eighty Large White×Landrace×Duroc crossbred female pigs of similar age were used in this experiment to investigate the deposition of fat and lean muscle tissue in the different primal cuts and intramuscular (IM) fat levels (longissimus dorsi, biceps femoris and supraspinatis) in female finisher pigs from 16 to 25 weeks of age. The pigs were group housed (10 pigs/pen) and randomly allocated to 1 of 10 pens. The pigs in each pen were allocated a slaughter age over a 10-week period starting from Week 16 to Week 25. The liveweight, carcass weight, and backfat depth at the P2 site significantly increased (P<0.001) from 16 to 25 weeks of age. The weight of the carcass and primal cuts, and the fat and lean muscle content of the half carcass and the shoulder, loin, belly and ham primal cuts increased significantly (P<0.001) from 16 to 25 weeks of age. There was no significant difference (P>0.05) in IM fat levels in the loin (m. longissimus) and the shoulder (m. suprasinatis) muscle. The IM fat levels varied significantly (P=0.003) in the ham (m. biceps femoris) muscle with the highest IM fat levels in pigs of 21 weeks of age and lowest in pigs at 17 weeks of age. The results indicate that the fat to lean muscle ratio increased significantly for the carcass (P=0.004), shoulder (P<0.001), loin (P=0.001), belly (P<0.001) and the ham (P=0.026) primal cuts from 16 to 25 weeks of age. Animal age was significantly correlated (P<0.001) with the fat content of the carcass and primal cuts. The strongest correlation between age and fat content was for the belly primal cut (r2=0.603).

Recommended Citation

D'Souza, D N, Pethick, D W, Dunshea, F R, Suster, D, Pluske, J R, and Mullan, B P. (2004), The pattern of fat and lean muscle tissue deposition differs in the different pork primal cuts of female pigs during the finisher growth phase. Livestock Production Science, 91 (1-2), 1-8.
https://library.dpird.wa.gov.au/ap_researchart/76