Effects of pig sire type and sex on carcass traits, meat quality and sensory quality of dry-cured ham

Abstract

Five different sire types, Danish Duroc (DU), Dutch Large White (LWD), English Large White (LWE), Belgian Landrace × Landrace (BL × LR) and Belgian Landrace (BL), were mated with LR × LW crossbred sows. Their offspring were compared on carcass traits, meat quality measurements and sensory characteristics of dry-cured ham. An animal mixed model was used to analyse these traits. BL-sired pigs had the worst score for meat quality but the highest killing out proportion and the best carcass conformation, with a higher percentage of ham and shoulder. On the other hand, DU-sired pigs had a good score on meat quality measurements as well as low subcutaneous fat and a good carcass conformation. Sensory analysis of dry-cured ham revealed that the BL-sired pigs showed a high ‘rancid’ aroma, although this sire type presented a low ‘marbling’ appearance. Dry-cured ham from BL × LR-sired pigs was characterised by a high ‘fat complex’ aroma and a low level of ‘tyrosine crystals’, and from DU-sired pigs by high ‘marbling’ and ‘tyrosine crystals’ and a low aroma content. The females produced a higher percentage of ham and dry-cured ham with a higher ‘overall quality’ than the males. It can be concluded that the appropriate genetic type for dry-cured ham processing is the DU sire because of its high desirable ‘marbling’ descriptor. © 1999 Society of Chemical Industry