title: Characterization of muscles from boars, barrows, and gilts slaughtered at 100 or 110 kilograms: differences in fat, moisture, color, water-holding capacity, and collagen.
abstract: For characterization of ether-extractable fat content (EE), L*, a*, and b* color, and water-holding capacity (WHC), 12 muscles or muscle groups were dissected from 48 pork carcasses of boars, barrows, or gilts that were fed diets either at minimum (LO) or 1% above (HI) their protein requirements and slaughtered in two separate trials at 100 or 110 kg. In both trials across muscles, gilts and boars had lower (P < .05) EE than barrows. In the 110-kg trial, boars had lower (P < .001) EE than gilts. In the 100-kg trial, boars on LO diets had lower (P < .001) WHC than all other groups, and both boar groups had lower (P < .05) WHC than gilts. No differences (P > .05) in WHC were seen in the 110-kg trial. In the 100-kg trial, gilts had lower L* (P < .05) than boars and barrows, but in the 110-kg trial boars had lower L* (P < .05) than barrows and gilts. The lowest (P < .05) a* values were for boars in the 100-kg trial and for boars on LO diets in the 110-kg trial. In both trials, the serratus ventralis had more (P < .001) EE than all other muscles. In both trials, the semitendinosus had higher (P < .001) L* and the longissimus had lower (P < .01) a* and b* than all other muscles. The numerous differences observed among muscles may help identify optimal uses for the entire pork carcass.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal and Range Sciences, South Dakota State University, Brookings 57007-0392, USA.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Nold
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Romans
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Costello
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Libal
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D000818:Animals; D001834:Body Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D001835:Body Weight; D003094:Collagen / Q000032:analysis*; D004032:Diet; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008297:Male; D009132:Muscles / Q000737:chemistry*; D010858:Pigmentation; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013552:Swine / Q000033:anatomy & histology*
chemical_list: D004044:Dietary Proteins; D003094:Collagen