Abstract

Consumers perceive pork products from local breeds reared in extensive systems positively because of their specific quality properties and regional identity. The sensory, nutritional and technological qualities of these products depend, among other things, on pig production, especially its climatic conditions and the availability of feed resources, which can influence traits of muscle and fat tissue. The present study (part 1) was part of a larger project that assessed the influence of the finishing season and feeding resources on carcass and tissue traits and the quality of meat and dry-cured ham from Gascon pigs in an extensive system. Following the specifications of the Protected Designation of Origin “Noir de Bigorre”, castrated Gascon males were reared on rangelands (grassland and forest areas) and received a supplementary diet from 5 to 6 months of age until slaughter at a minimum of 12 months of age and ca. 170 kg live weight. Three finishing seasons were considered as follows: Winter (n = 18), Spring (n = 22) and Autumn (n = 23). To estimate specific effects of season on productive and quality traits and avoid bias due to effects of genes known to influence these traits, polymorphisms in the RYR1, PRKAG3, MC4R and LEPR genes were included in the analysis models. The finishing season did not influence growth rate. Compared to Winter pigs, Spring and Autumn pigs had slightly lower carcass fatness (P < 0.05), higher ultimate pH and redder and darker color of the Longissimus muscle (LM) (P < 0.01). Loin drip loss was low overall, but was higher for Spring pigs, whereas cooking loss and shear force were similar among seasons. Spring pigs tended to have the lowest LM lipid content, whereas LM myoglobin content remained unaffected. Autumn pigs had lower potential of lipid oxidation in LM than Winter and Spring pigs (P < 0.01), but muscle metabolic traits assessed via glycolytic and oxidative enzyme activities did not differ among seasons. The finishing season modified the backfat fatty acid (FA) profile, with a lower polyunsaturated FA percentage in Autumn pigs than Winter or Spring pigs (P < 0.001), even though the saturated and monounsaturated FA percentages did not differ. In particular, Spring pigs had the lowest n-6:n-3 and C18:2:C18:3 ratios (P < 0.001), as a result of grazing. Overall, Spring and Autumn finishing seasons seem more favorable to technological and sensory pork attributes, with an additional positive effect of Spring finishing on pork nutritional value.

Highlights

  • Pork chains that promote local pig breeds reared in extensive systems specific to a geographic area are developing in Europe and in France

  • The farm and the genotype at single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) markers influenced some of these traits; since the influence of the season was the main objective of the study, only results by finishing season are detailed in the tables

  • The design did not allow the estimation of the allelic substitution effects, but taking into account the genotypes of the individuals at the polymorphisms allowed a better estimation of the effects of season on growth, carcass, muscle, backfat and meat quality traits

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Summary

Introduction

Since the 1980s, conservation programs for local breeds, combined with the strong willingness of local stakeholders (e.g. breeders, slaughterers, processors) to promote traditional breeding and processing practices, encouraged the renewal of these breeds and the development of chains to produce typical, high-quality pork and processed products (Lebret, 2008; CandekPotokar et al, 2019a). These products and chains meet consumers’ increasing demand for food products with a regional identity (Guerrero et al, 2010; Prache et al, 2020). Local pig breeds are adapted to their local agro-climatic conditions, value local feed resources in extensive production systems and help maintain biodiversity (Edwards, 2005), all of which are issues that correspond to major concerns of the European Commission in its Farm to Fork Strategy (EU, 2020)

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