Genetic determinism of boar taint and relationship with growth traits, meat quality and lesions

Abstract. A total of 345 F2 animals from a crossbred design Mangalitza (homozygous NN) x Piétrain (homozygous nn) were fed ad libitum at the institute's Thalhausen Research Station and slaughtered at a live weight of approximately 100 kg. MHS genotypes (67 nn, 192 Nn and 86 NN) were determined directly in a DNA test targeting the ryanodine reeeptor locus. Models for analysis of variance included sire, dam, pen, slaughter group, sex and MHS effects. Growth Performance was generally lower and carcass composition minor compared to other breeds and crosses. No significant differences were found between MHS genotypes for growth traits but NN animals tended to be less eflicient with respect to food conversion. However, nearly all measurements of the carcass showed significant differences between nn and NN which were especially pronounced for sidefat thickness (−7 1mm) fat over the musculus longissimus dorsi (−8.8 mm) and loin eye area (+8.7 cm2) as well as fat area (−5.1 cm2) We found Nn animals performing similar to NN animals due to incomplete dominance of the N allele. As expected nn had a substantial negative influence on meat quality compared to NN and Nn (e.g. −0.61 and −0.15 for pH 45 min, respectively). Intramuscular fat content was at a high level and nn had significantly lower values with differences of −0.40% and −0.25% relative to NN and Nn, respectively. A whole genome scan is currently underway with emphasis on fat measurements which showed promising Variation in this study.

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Meat production from entire male pigs: Performance, meat quality and alternatives to boar taint

Annales de Zootechnie ◽

10.1051/animres:19880341 ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 37 (3) ◽

pp. 203-203 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

M. BONNEAU

Keyword(s):

Meat Quality ◽

Boar Taint ◽

Meat Production ◽

Entire Male

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Genetic evaluation of crossbred lamb production. 4. Genetic parameters for first-cross animal performance

Australian Journal of Agricultural Research ◽

10.1071/ar06368 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 58 (8) ◽

pp. 839 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

V. M. Ingham ◽

N. M. Fogarty ◽

A. R. Gilmour ◽

R. A. Afolayan ◽

L. J. Cummins ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Genetic Variation ◽

Meat Quality ◽

Mixed Models ◽

Fixed Effects ◽

Growth Traits ◽

Genetic Correlations ◽

Fibre Diameter ◽

Quality Traits ◽

Meat Quality Traits ◽

Lamb Growth

The study estimated heritability for lamb growth and carcass performance, hogget ewe wool production, and worm egg count among crossbred progeny of maternal breed sires, as well as the genetic and phenotypic correlations among the traits. The data were from crossbred progeny of 91 sires from maternal breeds including Border Leicester, East Friesian, Finnsheep, Coopworth, White Suffolk, Corriedale, and Booroola Leicester. The sires were mated to Merino ewes at 3 sites over 3 years (and also Corriedale ewes at one site), with 3 common sires used at each site and year to provide genetic links. These sheep comprised part of the national maternal sire central progeny test program (MCPT) to evaluate the genetic variation for economically important production traits in progeny of maternal and dual-purpose (meat and wool) sires and the scope for genetic improvement. The matings resulted in 7846 first-cross lambs born, with 2964 wether lambs slaughtered at an average age of 214 days, and wool data from 2795 hogget ewes. Data were analysed using univariate mixed models containing fixed effects for site, year, sex and type of birth and rearing, dam source and sire breed, and random terms for sire and dam effects. Heritabilities and genetic correlations were estimated based on variances from progeny of 70 sires by fitting the same mixed models using a REML procedure in univariate and multivariate analyses. Estimates of heritability were low for lamb growth traits (0.07–0.29), meat colour and meat pH (0.10–0.23), and faecal worm egg count (0.10), moderate for carcass fat and muscle traits (0.32–0.47), and moderate to high for wool traits (0.36–0.55). Estimates of direct genetic correlations among liveweights at various ages were high and positive (0.41–0.77) and those between liveweights and most carcass and meat quality traits were small and varied in sign. Liveweights were moderately to highly positively correlated with most wool traits, except fibre diameter (–0.28–0.08). The study indicates that there is genetic variation for wool, growth, carcass, and meat quality traits, as well as for faecal worm egg count, with scope for selection within Australian maternal sire breeds of sheep.

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Genetic parameters of meat quality, carcass composition, and growth traits in commercial swine

Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.1093/jas/skz247 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 97 (9) ◽

pp. 3669-3683 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Piush Khanal ◽

Christian Maltecca ◽

Clint Schwab ◽

Kent Gray ◽

Francesco Tiezzi

Keyword(s):

Meat Quality ◽

Fixed Effects ◽

Growth Traits ◽

Genetic Correlations ◽

Genetic Effect ◽

Carcass Composition ◽

Additive Genetic Effect ◽

Yield Traits ◽

Data Set ◽

Crossbred Pigs

Abstract Swine industry breeding goals are mostly directed towards meat quality and carcass traits due to their high economic value. Yet, studies on meat quality and carcass traits including both phenotypic and genotypic information remain limited, particularly in commercial crossbred swine. The objectives of this study were to estimate the heritabilities for different carcass composition traits and meat quality traits and to estimate the genetic and phenotypic correlations between meat quality, carcass composition, and growth traits in 2 large commercial swine populations: The Maschhoffs LLC (TML) and Smithfield Premium Genetics (SPG), using genotypes and phenotypes data. The TML data set consists of 1,254 crossbred pigs genotyped with 60K SNP chip and phenotyped for meat quality, carcass composition, and growth traits. The SPG population included over 35,000 crossbred pigs phenotyped for meat quality, carcass composition, and growth traits. For TML data sets, the model included fixed effects of dam line, contemporary group (CG), gender, as well as random additive genetic effect and pen nested within CG. For the SPG data set, fixed effects included parity, gender, and CG, as well as random additive genetic effect and harvest group. Analyses were conducted using BLUPF90 suite of programs. Univariate and bivariate analyses were implemented to estimate heritabilities and correlations among traits. Primal yield traits were uniquely created in this study. Heritabilities [high posterior density interval] of meat quality traits ranged from 0.08 [0.03, 0.16] for pH and 0.08 [0.03, 0.1] for Minolta b* to 0.27 [0.22, 0.32] for marbling score, except intramuscular fat with the highest estimate of 0.52 [0.40, 0.62]. Heritabilities of primal yield traits were higher than that of primal weight traits and ranged from 0.17 [0.13, 0.25] for butt yield to 0.45 [0.36, 0.55] for ham yield. The genetic correlations of meat quality and carcass composition traits with growth traits ranged from moderate to high in both directions. High genetic correlations were observed for male and female for all traits except pH. The genetic parameter estimates of this study indicate that a multitrait approach should be considered for selection programs aimed at meat quality and carcass composition in commercial swine populations.

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A comparison of slaughter performance and meat quality of pigs immunised with a gonadotrophin-releasing factor vaccine against boar taint with physically castrated pigs

Animal Production Science ◽

10.1071/an11222 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 52 (10) ◽

pp. 911 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Y. L. Yuan ◽

J. L. Li ◽

W. H. Zhang ◽

C. Li ◽

F. Gao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fatty Acids ◽

Fatty Acid Composition ◽

Fatty Acid ◽

Linoleic Acid ◽

Meat Quality ◽

Subcutaneous Fat ◽

Boar Taint ◽

Inosine Monophosphate ◽

Slaughter Performance

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of vaccination against gonadotropin-releasing factor (GnRF) on carcass characteristics and meat quality and back fat quality. In total, 400 healthy male pigs were randomly assigned into two treatment groups: physically castrated males (CM) and vaccinated males (IM). CM pigs were physically castrated within 3 days of age. IM pigs received the GnRF vaccine twice, at 14 and 21 weeks of age. At the end of the experiment, 20 pigs of each treatment were weighed individually and slaughtered at 25 weeks of age. The longissimus muscle was collected to evaluate the meat quality including pH, drip loss, shear force, cooking loss, intramuscular fat, fatty acid composition and inosine monophosphate. Subcutaneous fat was sampled to evaluate fatty acid composition. IM pigs had a lower dressing percentage and were leaner (P < 0.01). The inosine monophosphate content was higher in pork from IM pigs than from CM pigs (P < 0.05). IM pigs had a higher content of polyunsaturated fatty acids in longissimus muscles than CM pigs (P < 0.01), mostly because of the higher linoleic acid content (P < 0.01). IM pigs had higher levels of unsaturated fatty acids in subcutaneous fat than CM pigs (P < 0.01), mostly because of the higher linoleic acid and linolenic acid (P < 0.01) and the lower myristic acid content (P < 0.01). There were no adverse effects of the GnRF vaccine on slaughter performance and meat quality of pigs. These results suggest that GnRF vaccine administered to pigs increases the inosine monophosphate content in longissimus muscles and the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids in longissimus muscles and back fat. Consequently, vaccination with Improvac for boar taint control will provide a good alternative to physical castration of male pigs.

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Effects of immunocastration on growth performance, body composition, meat quality, and boar taint

Czech Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.17221/99/2016-cjas ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 62 (No. 6) ◽

pp. 249-258

Author(s):

R. Stupka ◽

J. Čítek ◽

K. Vehovský ◽

K. Zadinová ◽

M. Okrouhlá ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Growth Performance ◽

Meat Quality ◽

Average Daily Gain ◽

Carcass Composition ◽

The Other ◽

Boar Taint ◽

Large White ◽

Study Objective ◽

Negative Effect ◽

Daily Gain

The study objective was to evaluate the effect of immunocastration in the period between the first and second vaccinations and subsequently between the second vaccination and slaughter on growth performance, carcass composition, meat quality, and boar taint, and compare results in immunocastrated males (IC), uncastrated boars (UCM), surgically castrated barrows (CM), and gilts (FE). The study included 70 pigs of the Duroc × (Large White × Landrace) crossbreed. Upon the overall assessment of the selected fattening indicators (average daily gain, feed intake), significant differences between CM and the other groups were demonstrated. Meanwhile, no significant differences were found between the IC, UCM, and FE groups. In this test, immunocastrates showed no negative effect from the second vaccination in relation to those carcass value indicators evaluated in comparison with UCM and FE. CM showed adversely lower carcass value parameters compared the other groups. No significant differences in pH, meat colour, drip loss, shear force, and intramuscular fat were found. The values of these indicators obtained for IC converged with those measured in UCM and FE. It was demonstrated that immunocastration prevented the occurrence of undesired boar taint. Androstenone decreased by 77% and skatole by 71% in IC as compared to UCM.

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NAKED OATS (Avena nuda) WITH AND WITHOUT LYSINE SUPPLEMENTATION, FOR BOARS AND BARROWS: GROWTH, CARCASS AND MEAT QUALITY, ENERGY AND NITROGEN METABOLISM

Canadian Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.4141/cjas89-089 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 69 (3) ◽

pp. 765-778 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

D. W. FRIEND ◽

A. FORTIN ◽

J. K. G. KRAMER ◽

G. BUTLER ◽

L. M. POSTE ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Meat Quality ◽

Soybean Meal ◽

Control Diet ◽

Total Yield ◽

Nitrogen Retention ◽

Metabolizable Energy ◽

Boar Taint ◽

Finishing Pigs ◽

Avena Nuda ◽

Naked Oats

Thirty-six boars and 36 barrows were fed four diets. The control was a fortified corn-soybean meal diet. Diets 50 L and 100 L were lysine-supplemented, and 48% and 95%, respectively, of the corn and soybean meal were replaced by Tibor naked oats. Diet 100 (unsupplemented) contained 95% naked oats. The diets were pelleted and given ad libitum to pigs housed three per pen. At a slaughter liveweight of approximately 90 kg, the left side of the carcass was used for carcass and meat quality examinations and samples were taken for fatty acid (FA) analysis. Additionally, 24 boars and 24 barrows were fed the four diets in a metabolism trial to determine metabolizable energy and nitrogen values. Daily gain by pigs fed Diet 100 was less (P < 0.01), and their times to market weight were 10 and 8 d longer, respectively, than pigs fed Diets 50 L and 100 L. Boars ate significantly less feed daily than barrows, and the rate of gain for boars was less and feed efficiency higher than for barrows. Total yield of lean meat was less (P < 0.05) from Diet 100 pigs than from those fed the other diets. The carcass index was higher (P < 0.05) for boars (106) than for barrows (102). The FA profile for the Tibor naked oats was very similar to that reported in a previous study even though the two crops were grown on different farms and 1 yr apart. Naked oats increased significantly the concentration of 18:1n–9 and 20:1 in the carcass backfat, but did not influence the quality of the loin muscle fat. An increased (P < 0.05) intensity of flavor in the pork loin roasts was associated with the naked oats diets. Boar roasts scored higher (P < 0.05) for juiciness than those from barrows; there was no difference in boar taint between the two sexes. The metabolizable energy value of the control diet was higher than those of the oats diets; significantly higher when corrected for N retained. Pigs fed Diet 100 L retained (P < 0.05) the most N (18.7 g d−1) and Diet 100 the least (15.8 g d−1). Nitrogen retention as a proportion of N intake was more (P < 0.05) for boars than for barrows. This study supported the inclusion of at least 48% naked oats in a diet for growing-finishing pigs. Key words: Boars, oats (naked), metabolism, carcass, fatty acids, meat quality

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Effect of immunocastration in group-housed commercial fattening pigs on reproductive organs, malodorous compounds, carcass and meat quality

Czech Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.17221/5964-cjas ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 57 (No. 6) ◽

pp. 290-299 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

M. Škrlep ◽

N. Batorek ◽

M. Bonneau ◽

M. Prevolnik ◽

V. Kubale ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Meat Quality ◽

Reproductive Organs ◽

Boar Taint ◽

Drip Loss ◽

Control Groups ◽

Lean Meat ◽

Treatment Groups ◽

Meat Content ◽

Ad Libitum ◽

Fattening Pigs

In the present study, the effect of immunocastration on carcass traits, meat quality, reproductive organs development, and boar taint compounds was investigated. Male piglets (50% Duroc crosses) were randomly assigned to three treatment groups: entire males (EM; n = 19), surgical castrates (SC; n = 20) and immunocastrates (IC, vaccinated with Improvac<sup>®</sup> at the age of 79 and 142 days; n = 21). Pigs were fed ad libitum and weighed at the time of first and second vaccination and before slaughter (176 days of age). No differences between treatment groups were detected for carcass weight. In the case of backfat thickness, carcass lean meat content, and belly leanness score, IC were intermediate between EM (the leanest) and SC (the fattest), differing (P < 0.05) from both control groups. Regarding loin eye fat area, neck intermuscular fatness, ham leanness, and leaf fat weight, IC were similar to EM and were less fat than SC (P < 0.01). IC had lower intramuscular fat than SC (P < 0.01) and higher average pH 24 than both EM and SC (P < 0.01), resulting in darker colour. IC also demonstrated lower drip loss than EM (P < 0.05). Immunocastration caused a significant reduction of reproductive organs and concentrations of boar taint compounds (P < 0.01) which were comparable with the levels observed for SC.  

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