Abstract
Simple SummaryThe increase in altitude will bring about a complex change in a series of elements of nature, which will have a profound impact on human production and life. Studying domestic animals in the native environment is an effective way to explore the impact of high altitude on human life, and at the same time is conducive to the development of local animal husbandry. Here, we found that the hypoxic adaptation of Tibetan pigs may be related to higher levels of VEGFA, HIF1 and myoglobin expression. The higher aerobic oxidative capacity of Tibetan pigs is beneficial to improve energy utilization, and the higher UFA content of Tibetan pigs is beneficial to cold resistance. In addition, Tibetan pigs have higher levels of BCAA and Myh2 expression, which serve to relieve muscle fatigue and improve endurance. In addition, it was observed that there are obvious differences in carcass and meat quality traits of different altitudes pigs. Taken together, our findings illustrate the adaptability of Tibetan pigs to high altitude from various perspectives and compare carcass and meat quality traits of three pig breeds.The carcass and meat quality traits of pig breeds living at three different altitudes (Yorkshire pigs, YP: 500m; Qingyu Pigs, QYP: 1500m; Tibetan pigs, TP: 2500m) were compared. It was observed that there are obvious differences in pig breeds with respect to performance parameters. Specifically, YP had the best carcass traits, showing high slaughter rates and leanest meat. Conversely, QYP had the highest back fat thickness and intramuscular fat (IMF) content. For the high-altitude breed TP, the animals exhibited low L* and high a* values. The genotypes contributing to the observed phenotypes were supported by a PCR analysis. The glycolytic genes expression (HK, PFK, PK) were highest in YP, whereas expression of genes related to adipogenesis (C/EBPα, FABP4, SCD1) were highest in QYP. As expected, genes associated with angiogenesis and hypoxia (HIF1a, VEGFA) were expressed at the highest levels in TP. The composition and proportion of amino and fatty acids in pig muscles at the three altitudes examined also varied substantially. Among the breeds, TP had the highest proportion of umami amino acids, whereas QYP had the highest proportion of sweet amino acids. However, TP also exhibited the highest proportion of essential fatty acids and the lowest proportion of n6:n3. This study explains the high-altitude adaptive evolution and the formation of meat quality differences in different altitude pigs from various angles and provides a reference for local pork food processing and genetic improvement of local pigs.
Highlights
In many countries and regions, the various cultures have a tradition of eating pork as a central part of their diet
A total of 80 pigs were used in this study: 39 Yorkshire pigs (YP), including 20 males and 19 females, slaughtered at 180 days of age; 17 Qingyu pigs (QYP), including 8 males and 9 females (QYP1—5 pigs slaughtered at 180 days of age; QYP2—12 pigs, slaughtered at 300 days of age); 24 Tibetan pigs (TP), including 12 males and 12 females, slaughtered at 300 days of age
It has been reported that Myh4 is associated with lean muscle mass and growth rate [36], and that the proportion of Myh4 expression in the longissimus dorsi muscle of YP was the highest. These results suggest that Qingyu Pigs (QYP) and TP have great potential for genetic improvement in carcass traits
Summary
In many countries and regions, the various cultures have a tradition of eating pork as a central part of their diet. According to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO, http://www.fao.org/faostat/zh/#data/QL), global pork production and consumption have long exceeded. 30% of the total meat production and consumption. The development of pig production and related industries has greatly improved the quality of life of people worldwide [1]. Pig carcass and meat quality traits are the most economically important features for breeders, food developers, and consumers. Pig breeders have pursued high growth rates and lean meat. These traits have resulted in less desirable pork. Consumers have recently begun to pursue meat of higher quality and flavor [2]. Heirloom and local pig breeds provide these rich traits for the development of pork [3,4]
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