Influence of sex and pre-slaughter weight of pigs on their carcass quality

Abstract

n order to study the influence of pig sex and pre-slaughter weight on carcass quality, experimental studies were carried out on 120 pigs of Irish origin: 30 gilts with a pre-slaughter weight of 100 kg, 30 gilts with a pre-slaughter weight of 120 kg, 30 barrows with a pre-slaughter weight of 100 kg, 30 barrows with a pre-slaughter weight 120 kg. After fattening the pigs were slaughtered and their carcass qualities were evaluated. The analysis showed the influence of pre-slaughter weight on slaughter yield: in gilts by 1.7%, in barrows – no effect; on chilling losses: in gilts by 44.00%, in barrows by 26.32%; on fat thickness above the 6-7 thoracic vertebrae: in gilts by 21.19%, in barrows by 24.76%; on fat thickness in buttocks: in gilts by 22.65 %, in barrows – no effect; on fat thickness in withers: in gilts by 13.47%, in barrows by 14.9%; on carcass length: in gilts by 8.28%, in barrows by 4.62% and on the Loin eye area MLT: in gilts by 6.0%, in barrows by 13.50%.