GENETIC AND PHENOTYPIC PARAMETERS FOR CARCASS TRAITS, MEAT AND EATING QUALITY TRAITS IN PIGS

Genetic relationships for carcass traits with meat and eating quality traits were estimated from data on 40 litter groups, which were essentially full-sibs, of two boars and two gilts. Duroc and halothane negative Landrace pigs were performance tested on ad libitum or restricted diets with an average slaughter weight of 80 kg. Half carcasses were dissected and loin joint chops were used for objective measurements of meat quality and trained taste-panel assessment of eating quality. Genetic parameters were estimated using an animal model in a restricted maximum likelihood analysis. Slaughter weight was fitted as a covariate for each feeding regime. Heritabilities of lean weight (0.75 s.e. 0.17) and meat quality traits: intramuscular fat content (0.53 s.e. 0.17), subcutaneous fat firmness (0.43 s.e. 0.15) and moisture content (0.27 s.e. 0.15), muscle pH (0.20 s.e. 0.16) and colour (0.20 s.e. 0.16); were generally higher than for eating quality traits: flavour (0.16 s.e. 0.19), tenderness (0.23 s.e. 0.16) and juiciness (0.18 s.e. 0.18). The genetic correlations suggest that selection for increased lean weight would result in increased muscle moisture content but decreased muscle pH and intramuscular fat content. Eating quality would also be reduced as pork flavour and juiciness would become poorer. The reduced carcass fat weight would result in less subcutaneous fat which would be less firm due to increased moisture content and increased concentrations of polyunsaturated fatty acids. © 1990.