title: Production performance, carcass composition, and adipose tissue traits of heavy pigs: influence of breed and production system.
abstract: Both breed and production systems are responsible for production efficiency and quality traits of pork. Effects of breed and production system within breed on growth, body fatness, and adipose tissues traits were assessed in the pure Basque (B, nonselected, local French) and conventional Large White (LW) breeds, reared either in a conventional (C, slatted floor), alternative (A, indoor straw bedding and outdoor area), or extensive (E, free range) system. A total of 100 castrated males were produced in 2 replicates, each involving 50 pigs distributed in 5 treatments based on breed and production system (i.e., BC, BA, BE, LWC, and LWA [10 pigs/group and per replicate]). From 35 kg BW to slaughter at around 145 kg BW, the BC, BA, LWC, and LWA pigs received the same growing and finishing diets, whereas the BE pigs had free access to the natural resources of the E pen and received a standard growing-finishing diet at restricted allowance according to the farming practices of the B pork chain. The B pigs had lower (P < 0.001) ADG and G:F than the LW pigs and were much older (P < 0.001) at slaughter. The LWA pigs had similar ADG but lower (P = 0.03) G:F than the LWC. Within the B breed, the BA had higher (P = 0.04) and the BE lower (P < 0.001) ADG compared with BC pigs. The B pigs had a higher (P < 0.001) carcass dressing an exhibited around 2-fold higher (P < 0.001) back fat proportion, perirenal fat weight and LM lipid content than the LW pigs. Compared with C, the A system decreased (P = 0.04) carcass dressing within LW but did not influence carcass traits within B pigs. The E system decreased (P ≤ 0.05) carcass dressing, back fat proportion, and LM lipid content in BE compared with BC pigs. The B pigs exhibited larger (P < 0.001) adipocytes in both subcutaneous adipose tissue (SCAT) and LM than the LW pigs. Malic enzyme activity was higher in SCAT of B than LW pigs despite their greater fatness, and was higher (P ≤ 0.01) in BA but lower (P < 0.001) in BE than in BC pigs. The B pigs had higher (P < 0.001) MUFA but lower (P ≤ 0.006) SFA and PUFA fatty acid percentages in SCAT than the LW pigs. Compared with C, the A system had scarce influence on FA composition within each breed, whereas the E system led to lower (P = 0.015) SFA and greater (P < 0.001) PUFA in SCAT of the B pigs. Altogether, the E production system can counteract the genetic potential of B pigs for growth rate but also body fatness.
authors: INRA, UMR1348 PEGASE, F-35590 Saint-Gilles, France Agrocampus Ouest, UMR1348 PEGASE, F-35000 Rennes, France Benedicte.Lebret@rennes.inra.fr.
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Lebret
authors: INRA, UMR1348 PEGASE, F-35590 Saint-Gilles, France Agrocampus Ouest, UMR1348 PEGASE, F-35000 Rennes, France.
authors: J Y
authors: JY
authors: Dourmad
authors: INRA, UMR1348 PEGASE, F-35590 Saint-Gilles, France Agrocampus Ouest, UMR1348 PEGASE, F-35000 Rennes, France.
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Mourot
authors: Filière Porc Basque, F-64430 Les Aldudes, France.
authors: P Y
authors: PY
authors: Pollet
authors: INRA, UMR1348 PEGASE, F-35590 Saint-Gilles, France Agrocampus Ouest, UMR1348 PEGASE, F-35000 Rennes, France.
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Gondret
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D001947:Breeding / Q000379:methods*; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary; D048788:Growth and Development / Q000502:physiology; D006799:Housing, Animal; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis / Q000592:standards; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D010641:Phenotype; D050151:Subcutaneous Fat / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D013552:Swine / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids
keywords: carcass quality; extensive production system; growth rate; local breed; pig; subcutaneous adipose tissue