Boar taint – possibilities and solutions in pig production

Abstract

Over many years castration of male pigs has been a common zootechnical practice performed in order to avoid boar taint or offensive odour of pork found in sexually mature boars. As castration of animals in intensive livestock production has been receiving criticism from international organizations for animal protection and welfare in the last decade, male pigs should be castrated with anesthesia in order to perform the procedure in a less painful and stressful way. Along with boar taint, boar production is accompanied by some other important advantages and disadvantages. Hence, there is a need for a detailed research of this kind of production. The main substances accumulated in the fat of male pigs that cause boar taint are androstenone and skatole. In this scientific review, physiological and zootechnical factors responsible for the development of boar taint and the possibilities of its prevention in the Republic of Croatia will be presented.

Keywords

• boar
• boar taint
• castration
• meat
• androstenone
• skatole