Search

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of immunocastration on pork meat and carcass quality, compared to meat from surgically castrated males and entire males. Ninety (Duroc x Pietrain) x (Landrace x Yorkshire) crossbred pigs were assigned to three experimental groups: surgically castrated males (barrows; castrated up to the seventh day of age), entire males (males), and vaccinated males (immunocastrates). Carcass and meat quality characteristics such as weight of hot and chilled carcass, meat yield, chilling loss and chemical parameters were examined. Surgically castrated pigs had significantly lower (p lt 0.01; p lt 0.05) weight before slaughter, than males and immunocastrates, and also lower (p lt 0.01) warm carcass weight than males. The average carcass meatiness of castrates was significantly lower (p lt 0.01) than the average meatiness of males and immunocastrates. Chilling loss of barrows was significantly lower (p lt 0.01) than chilling loss of males or immunocastrates. It was also found that the chilling loss of immunocastrates was significantly lower (p lt 0.05) than chilling loss of males. According to the results obtained, it can be concluded that immunocastration could be a good alternative to surgical castration considering meat and carcass quality characteristics.

The aim of this study was to determine the survival of Yersinia enterocolitica (biotype 1, serotype O:8), and the microbiological status (lactic acid bacteria and Enterobacteriaceae), water activity and pH values of Sremska sausage (traditional dry-fermented sausage from Northern Serbia) during ripening (18 days). Four different groups of Sremska sausage were manufactured: CI group - control without starter culture; CII group - control with starter culture; EI group - was inoculated with 108 CFU mL-1 of Y. enterocolitica ATCC 9610, without starter culture and EII group - was inoculated with 108 CFU mL-1 of Y. enterocolitica ATCC 9610 and with starter culture. During ripening, microbiological examination was conducted according to ISO methods, on days 0, 3, 7, 12 and 18. In the inoculated sausages, Y. enterocolitica did not grow after day 12 of the ripening period. The results revealed that the use of starter cultures increased the number of lactic acid bacteria, while completely reducing the Enterobacteriaceae count compared with the Sremska sausage without starter culture. Also, the sausages manufactured with starter culture had lower pH values compared to the sausages without starter culture. In conclusion, the use of starter cultures contributes to improving the microbial safety of Sremska sausage.