Blood hormone concentrations as markers and predictors of porcine meat production and quality?

Abstract

Context The applicability of hormones in the prediction of meat production in non-ruminant species has been poorly examined. Aims To examine the applicability of plasma concentrations of leptin, estradiol, progesterone and insulin-like growth-factor I (IGF-I) for characterisation and early prediction of the production and quality of meat in gilts. Methods Animals were compared at 150 days of age with below (‘low’) and above (‘high’) median hormone concentrations and their traits of meat production and quality at the age of 200 days. Key results Animals with a high leptin concentration in blood at the age of 150 days had higher slaughter and carcass weights and weight of ham, but a lower lean meat content at the age of 200 days, than did the gilts with a low leptin concentration. Animals with a high estradiol concentration had a higher carcass weight, weight of ham and backfat thickness and a lower electrical conductivity of musculus semimembranosus than did animals with a low estradiol concentration. High blood IGF-I concentration was associated with a higher slaughter weight, carcass weight and lean meat content. No significant differences between the animals with ‘high’ and ‘low’ progesterone concentration and meat characteristics have been found. Conclusions These observations confirm the involvement of leptin, IGF-I and estradiol in up-regulation of meat production in pigs. Furthermore, they suggest that leptin can be useful for characterisation and prediction of fat production, whereas IGF-I and estradiol (but not progesterone) could be both markers and predictors of porcine growth and meat production. Implications The blood concentrations of these hormones could help in characterisation and selection of pigs for meat production.