INFLUENCE OF BREED, SEX AND GROWTH HORMONE AND HALOTHANE GENOTYPES ON CARCASS COMPOSITION AND MEAT QUALITY TRAITS IN PIGS

Abstract

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to verify the influence of the growth hormone (GH) and halothane (Hal) genotypes, breed and sex on carcass and meat quality. Ninety‐six pigs (Piétrain, Large White and Landrace) were dissected. For each breed, 16 were noncastrated males and 16 were females. The Piétrain animals presented the greatest lean meat percentage, the heaviest ham and shoulder and the lightest belly weight and fat thickness. Landrace presented the heaviest belly. Females presented the greatest drip loss; L*, b* and fat thickness; the heaviest ham and loin; and the lightest shoulder and tenderloin. Hal–NN and Nn presented greater loin weight than nn animals. Nn animals presented smaller belly weight than homozygotes. The nn animals presented greater drip loss than NN and Nn, and greater lean meat than NN. Interestingly, GH–D2D2 animals also showed higher drip loss than those with D1D1 genotype. This investigation presents relevant associations between important economic traits and specific GH and Hal genotypes.PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSThe identification of new molecular markers related to pig production has been increasing in importance, especially when these markers are related to carcass and meat quality traits, which are difficult to predict. When a marker is intensively used in a selection program, it reaches fixation, so it is important to identify new markers to replace it. This work shows, for the first time, the association of a GH polymorphism with an important meat quality trait and reinforces the possibility of its use in programs of marker‐assisted selection.