Effect of pre-slaughter weight and sex on the performance of irish landrace pig carcasses

Abstract

In order to study the effect of sex and pre-slaughter weight on the performance of Irish Landrace pig carcasses, 400 pigs with equal number of barrows and gilts were selected and fattened. After fattening, the pigs were divided into two groups according to sex. Then, 20 gilts were selected using weighing into 4 groups with a pre-slaughter weight 90 kg, 100 kg, 110 kg and 120 kg. Similarly, 20 barrows were divided for 4 groups with same pre-slaughter weight 90 kg, 100 kg, 110 kg and 120 kg. All gilts and barrows from eight experimental groups were slaughtered and their carcasses were measured and then sampled to determine slaughter parameters. It was found that in general, gilts had higher carcass weight at pre-slaughter weight 90, 110 and 120 kg, higher chilled carcass weight at preslaughter weight 120 kg, higher carcass length and length of bacon halves at pre-slaughter weight 120 kg, higher thickness of longest back muscle and meat content at pre-slaughter weight 100 kg.Barrows had a higher fat thickness above the 6-7 thoracic vertebrae, the fat thickness in the buttocks, the fat thickness in the withers at preslaughter weight 100 kg.