Effects of the Sheep Polyclonal Antibodies Against the Porcine Adipocyte Plasma Membrane Proteins on Porcine Carcass Composition and Meat Quality

Abstract

To detect the effects of the polyclonal antibodies raised in sheep against porcine adipocyte plasma membranes on the porcine carcass composition and meat quality, 30 pigs assigned into 6 treatment groups were given intraperitoneal injections of sheep antipig adipocyte plasma membrane immunoglobulin (ASIg) or sheep nonimmune serum immunoglobulin (NSIg). At the end of the experiment, the pigs were slaughtered at 90 kg body weight, and carcasses and meat quality were evaluated. The results showed that when pigs intraperitoneally immunized with 20 or 30 mg ASIg at 15 kg body weight, 20 mg purified ASIg twice at 15 and 60 kg body weight, or 20 mg purified ASIg at 60 kg body weight, respectively, their lean meat percentage, fat meat percentage, backfat thickness, loin eye area leaf fat weight, caul fat weight, heart weight, liver weight, and kidney weight were significantly affected. However, the kidney weight, lung weight, dressing percentage, and spleen weight did not remarkably change. Our results indicated that pigs intraperitoneally immunized with 20 or 30 mg ASIg at 15 kg body weight, and 20 mg ASIg twice at 15 and 60 kg body weight, have significantly different drip loss rate, cooked meat ratio, tenderness, storage loss rate, muscle fiber diameter, moisture content, dry matter content, crude protein content, and crude fat content from the control group that received 20 mg NSIg at 15 kg body weight. However, meat pH, meat color value, meat marbling score, inosinate, and myohemoglobin were not significantly affected. Our results indicated ASIg could not significantly affect the content of most muscular amino acids and intramuscular fatty acids.