Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dsjbd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T11:26:53.088Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The influence of feeding regimen and lactation length on growth, carcass characteristics and meat quality of once-bred gilts

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

M. Ellis ,
V. R. Fowler ,
M. F. Franklin ,
J. D. Wood  and
M. A. Varley
M. Ellis
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois, 1207 West Gregory Drive, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA
V. R. Fowler
Affiliation:
Scottish Agricultural College, 581 Kings Road, Aberdeen AB9 1UD
M. F. Franklin
Affiliation:
Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland, c/o Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB2 9SB
J. D. Wood
Affiliation:
Division of Food Animal Science, University of Bristol, Langford, Bristol BS18 7DY
M. A. Varley
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Physiology and Nutrition, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT
Get access

Abstract

A study was made to investigate the influence of pregnancy feeding level (ad libitum (AL) and restricted (R); 2·0 kg food per day) and lactation length on growth, carcass, meat quality and processing characteristics of pregnant gilts (P) slaughtered after weaning on day 0 (P·0), day 10 (P·10) or day 35 (P·35) after farrowing. Non-pregnant (NP) control gilts were slaughtered at live weights of approximately 95 kg (NP-L), 135 kg (NP-M), and 160 kg (NP-H). P gilts were mated at an average age of 172 days and an average live weight of 97 kg. Pregnancy per se reduced live weight and lean growth rates compared with NP-H animals which were slaughtered at a similar age to the once-bred animals. Weight loss during lactation tended to increase with lactation length and was higher for gilts given food ad libitum during pregnancy compared with restricted animals. The weight of closely trimmed lean in the carcass was similar for the P·0, P·10 and P·35 groups (59·5 v. 62·2 v. 58·8 kg respectively; average s.e. 2·42) and all once-bred gilt groups virtually doubled trimmed lean yields during pregnancy and lactation. Curing yields were similar for P and NP gilts. As lactation length increased, the fat content of the longissimus dorsi and of the overlying subcutaneous fat layers tended to decrease and the moisture content of these two tissues increased. The major impact offeeding level was on fat levels which were significantly higher for AL animals. Trimmed lean yields were also higher for AL gilts suggesting that lean growth rates were not being maximized on the R feeding regime. Subjective muscle colour scores indicated that the longissmus dorsi from P gilts was darker than from NP-L animals and muscle colour tended to become darker with increasing lactation length. There were few significant differences between treatment groups for eating quality. Meat from once-bred gilts was generally judged to be tougher than that from NP-L animals and toughness generally increased with lactation length. This study confirms the potential of the once-bred gilt as an efficient producer of pig meat but raises issues regarding meat quality that require further research.

Keywords

carcassfood intakegiltslactationmeat quality
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Science , Volume 62 , Issue 3 , June 1996 , pp. 561 - 571
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1996

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Anonymous. 1970. British standard methods of test for meat and meat products, BS4401, Part 5. Determination of free fat content. British Standards Institute, London.Google Scholar
Anonymous. 1979. British standard methods of test for meat and meat products, BS4401, Part II. Determination of L(-)-hydroxyproline content. British Standards Institute, London.Google Scholar
Brooks, P. H. and Cole, D. J. A. 1973. Meat production from pigs which have farrowed. 1. Reproductive performance and food conversion efficiency. Animal Production 17:305–315.Google Scholar
Brooks, P. H. and Smith, D. A. 1977. Meat production from pigs which have farrowed. 3. The effect of weaning-to-slaughter interval on food utilization and carcass quality. Animal Production 25:247–254.Google Scholar
Coffey, M. T., Diggs, B. G., Handlin, D. L., Knabe, D. A., Maxwell, C. V., Noland, P. R., Prince, T. J. and Cromwell, G. L. 1994. Effects of dietary energy during gestation and lactation on reproductive performance of sows. A cooperative study, journal of Animal Science 72:4–9.Google ScholarPubMed
Dourmad, J. Y. 1991. Effect of feeding level in the gilt during pregnancy on voluntary feed intake during lactation and changes in body composition during gestation and lactation. Livestock Production Science 27:309–319.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dransfield, E., Jones, R. C. D. and Wood, J. D. 1984. Mechanical properties of fatty tissue. Proceedings of the thirtieth European meeeting of meat research workers, Bristol, pp.170–171.Google Scholar
Elliot, J. I., Lodge, G. A., Fortin, A. and Larmond, E. 1982. Reproductive performance, growth and carcass characteristics of gilts mated at puberty, restricted in food intake during gestation and slaughtered post-partum. Animal Production 34:17–29.Google Scholar
Ellis, M. and Avery, P. J. 1990. The influence of heavy slaughter weights on growth and carcass characteristics of pigs. Animal Production 50:569(abstr.).Google Scholar
Friend, D. W., Larmond, E., Wolynetz, M. S. and Price, K. R. 1979. Piglet and pork production from gilts bred at puberty: chemical composition of the carcass and assessment of meat quality. journal of Animal Science 49:330–341.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Genstat 5 Committee. 1993. Genstat 5 release 3 reference manual. Clarendon Press, Oxford.Google Scholar
Hanson, N. W. 1973. Official, standardised and recommended methods of analysis. 2nd edition. Society for Analytical Chemistry, London.Google Scholar
Hovell, F. D. DeB., MacPherson, R. M., Crofts, R. M. J. and Smart, R. I. 1977. The effect of pregnancy, energy intake and mating weight on protein deposition and energy retention of female pigs. Animal Production 25:281–290.Google Scholar
Kotarbinska, M. and Kielanowski, J. 1973. A note on meat production from pigs slaughtered after first weaning a litter. Animal Production 17:317–320.Google Scholar
Lodge, G. A., Friend, D. W. and Wolynetz, M. S. 1979. Effect of pregnancy on body composition and energy balance of the gilt. Canadian journal of Animal Science. 59:51–61.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
MacPherson, R. M., Hovell, F. D. DeB. and Jones, A. S. 1977. Performance of sows first mated at puberty or second or thir d oestrus, and carcass assessment of once-bred gilts. Animal Production 24:333–342.Google Scholar
Shields, R. G. and Mahan, D. C. 1983. Effects of pregnancy and lactation on the body composition of first-litter female swine. journal of Animal Science 57:594–603.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wood, J. D., Jones, R. C. D., Francombe, M. A. and Whelehan, O. P. 1986. The effects of fat thickness and sex on pig meat quality with special reference to the problems associated with overleanness. 2. Laboratory and trained taste panel results. Animal Production 43:535–544.Google Scholar