Carcass and meat quality of selected final hybrids of pigs in the Czech Republic

Abstract

The objective of this work was to compare the quality of carcass and meat in the selected crossbred pigs used in the Czech Republic. A total of 200 pigs that arose from four crossbreeding was studied; the dam line was in all combination of hybrids represented by Czech Large White × Landrace. Sire line included Large White × Belgian Landrace (I), Hampshire × Pietrain (II), Duroc × Pietrain (III) and Czech meat pig (IV). Influence of crossbreeding on lean meat percentage and muscle depth was statistically highly significant ( P<0.001), influence on fat depth was evident ( P<0.05). Differences in pH 1 value among the individual final hybrids were not statistically significant but variance of pH 24 value was highly notable ( P<0.001). All colour parameters ( L ∗, a ∗, b ∗ values), drip loss and exudate also were influenced by hybrid combination ( P<0.001). Influence of crossbreeding on intramuscular fat content was not statistically significant ( P=0.067). Higher content of intramuscular fat was determined in the hybrids with Duroc breed in sire line. In the whole group, 8.5% pig with PSE defect was found. By comparison of all the various hybridisation, positive influence of Hampshire breed on the carcass quality and negative influence on meat quality was confirmed. On the other hand, meat quality is positively influenced Duroc and Czech meat pig breeds.