Back to Search
Start Over
Performance and carcass quality traits of Iberian × Duroc crossbred pig subject to gender and age at the beginning of the free-range finishing phase
- Source :
- Animal, Vol 15, Iss 9, Pp 100324-(2021)
- Publication Year :
- 2021
- Publisher :
- Elsevier, 2021.
-
Abstract
- The traditional production of the Iberian breed pig involves a long production cycle. It might be shortened by using Iberian pigs crossed with Duroc and by reducing the growing phase, but the age-related changes on productive performance and carcass quality should be addressed. Thus, productive performance, live measurements and carcass and primal cut traits were evaluated on Iberian × Duroc 50:50 crossed pigs according to animal age at the beginning of the free-range finishing phase (Montanera): 10, 12 and 14 months old (IBxD10 (n = 15), IBxD12 (n = 17) and IBxD14 (n = 18) animal batches, respectively) and gender (immunologically castrated female -consisted of the Improvac® vaccination- and surgically castrated males). During the growing period, animals were fed with restrictions; 1.49, 1.29 and 1.20 ± 0.023 (mean ± SEM) kg/day of commercial feeds to start Montanera with similar BW; 103.9, 102.9 and 102.1 ± 0.22 kg, for IBxD10, IBxD12 and IBxD14, respectively. IBxD14 animals yielded the highest average daily gain (ADG) and BW after Montanera, as well as larger rump height and croup width. In contrast, these animals had the lowest carcass yield. Although animals from IBxD10 yielded hams of inferior size, this could be of interest to the sector, as there is a certain segment of the market that demands hams of smaller size and, generally, this is difficult to obtain with the traditional Montanera production system. The gender had no major effects on performance and carcass and primal cut traits, so both immunologically castrated female and surgically castrated males are suitable for finishing in Montanera.
- Subjects :
- Male
Body measurements
Immunological castration
Slaughter age
Meat
Crossbred pig
Rump
Swine
Production cycle
Biology
SF1-1100
Castrated Female
Breed
Animal culture
Age and gender
Phenotype
Animal science
Body Composition
Animals
Carcass yield
Female
Animal Science and Zoology
Primal cuts
Production system
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 17517311
- Volume :
- 15
- Issue :
- 9
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Animal
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....a718e5bd1a1a5ea102f1516cd8b7b2f9