COMPARISON OF INTRAMUSCULAR FAT CONTENT IN THE FIRST FARROWING GILTS AND IN THE FATTENING GILTS

Abstract

The aim of the study was to compare the slaughter value and meat quality of the first farrowing gilts with normal fattening gilts. The study was carried out on 30 primiparous gilts (A) and 39 fattening gilts (B). Age of A gilts at slaughter was 371.03 days and that of B gilts was two times lower and attained 179.64 days. However carcass fatness of the younger B gilts was higher than of primiparous gilts (P < 0.05) and carcass lean content was high in both gilt groups. Meat characteristics were determined in longissimus lumborum muscle. Some differences between the compared gilt groups were stated in muscle colour, WHC, protein and intramuscular fat content. Higher IMF content was found in primiparous gilts (1.88 ± 0.50 versus 1.19 ± 0.39%; P< 0.01).

Keywords

• primiparous gilts
• fattening gilts
• meat quality traits