Organic rearing of non-castrated male pigs: welfare indicators, carcass traits, pork quality and boar taint in Duroc and Pietrain crossbreds

Abstract

The main principles of organic farming as presented by the European organisation for organic food and farming are health, ecology, fairness and care, but the intrinsic quality of products is also important for consumers. Pig genotype was tested as a lever to improve animal welfare and pork quality (meat tenderness, processing ability) of organic, non-castrated males while controlling the risk for boar taint. Non-castrated Large White × Duroc (D, n = 47) or Large White × Pietrain NN (P, n = 34) males were involved in two batches, each including one group of pigs per genotype. Each group was reared in a pen from the same building on deep straw bedding (1.3 m2/pig), with a feeding zone (0.2 m2/pig) and an outdoor area (1.0 m2/pig), from 28 kg BW until slaughter at ca. 125 kg BW. All pigs received ad libitum the same growing and finishing diets, and hay. Overall, health and welfare indicators showed few problems, but the proportions of pigs with skin scratches, and tail lesions at the end of the finishing period, were lower in D than in P pigs (P < 0.05). Growth rate and final BW did not differ between genotypes. The D pigs had lower carcass lean meat content (P < 0.001) and relative proportions of ham and loin (P ≤ 0.01), and higher proportions of belly and backfat (P ≤ 0.001) than P pigs. Compared to P, loin (Longissimus muscle) of D pigs was less light and exudative and had higher chroma (P < 0.05), but pH 24 h and glycolytic potential did not differ. Loin meat of D pigs had higher intramuscular fat content (P < 0.001) and tended to have a lower shear force (P = 0.09), but cooking loss did not differ. In the ham muscles, D pigs had higher chroma than P pigs in the Gluteus medius, whereas pH 24 h did not differ in the Gluteus medius and Semimembranosus. D pigs had higher backfat concentrations of androstenone (P < 0.001), and skatole and indole (P < 0.05) than P pigs, suggesting a higher risk of rejection by consumers due to boar taint. However, only one D carcass was detected as tainted by human nose test. Altogether, organic farming of non-castrated Duroc crossbred males appears to be favourable for animal welfare, technological and several sensory pork properties provided that the risk of undesirable odours is limited through management practices.