title: Fatty acid proﬁle, oxidative stability of pork lipids and meat quality indicators are not affected by birth weight.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate whether fatty acid (FA) profile, oxidative stability of lipids and other meat quality traits differed between high (HW: 1.8 to 2.2 kg) and low (LW: 0.8 to 1.2 kg) birth weight piglets. Forty new-born male pigs (n=20 HW, n=20 LW) were reared in separate pens until the finishing period, when they were slaughtered at 150 days of age, and pH and temperature were measured in the carcass. Afterwards, the Longissimus dorsi muscle was excised from the carcass, and samples were collected for subsequent meat quality analyses (thaw loss, cooking loss, shear force, chemical analysis and sensory analysis for tenderness). Birth weight had minor impacts on meat quality traits, which were limited to higher shear force in the LW group (P<0.01). Chemical components (moisture, protein, fat, ash), cholesterol levels and lipid oxidation (thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances) were not affected by birth weight (P>0.05). FA profile and the amount of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids were similar, but HW pigs had higher atherogenic index than their LW counterparts (P<0.01). Notwithstanding the higher shear force presented by the lower birth weight pigs, in the sensory test, the panelists did not detect any differences in the tenderness of pork from HW and LW animals. Therefore, our results suggest that low birth weight has minimal impact on meat quality.
authors.affiliation: 1 Laboratory of Structural Biology and Reproduction, Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte, MG 31270-901, Brazil.
authors.forename: A L N
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Alvarenga
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Lavras, Caixa Postal 3037, Lavras, MG 37200-000, Brazil.
authors.forename: R V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.affiliation: 1 Laboratory of Structural Biology and Reproduction, Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte, MG 31270-901, Brazil.
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Parreira
authors.affiliation: 1 Laboratory of Structural Biology and Reproduction, Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte, MG 31270-901, Brazil.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chiarini-Garcia
authors.affiliation: 1 Laboratory of Structural Biology and Reproduction, Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte, MG 31270-901, Brazil.
authors.forename: F R C L
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Almeida
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D019649:Food Industry; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000592:standards*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism; D013552:Swine / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids