The Impact of the pH<sub>1</sub> Value and the Length of Carcass on the Quality of Slaughtered Pigs of the Hybrid Combination (CLW × CL) × D

Abstract

The goal of this thesis was to establish the impact of the pH1 value and the length of carcass on the quality of slaughtered pigs of the hybrid combination (CLW × CL) × D. The slaughtered pigs were divided into four groups depending on the measured pH1. The first group of pigs (n = 18) had pH1 value of less than 6.00, the second group included pigs (n = 53) with its value ranging from 6.00 to 6.20, the third group (n = 76) with pH1 values ranging from 6.21 to 6.40 and the fourth group included the most pigs (n = 103), with an established pH1 value higher than 6.40. The pigs were divided into the three following groups on the basis of carcass length: < 800 mm, 800–900 mm, > 900 mm. An average pH1 value of 6.36 was measured in the monitored group of slaughtered pigs in the present study. PSE defects were established in the meat of 4 dressed carcasses, which was 1.6% of all of the assessed slaughtered pigs. The average length of the dressed carcass in the pigs was determined on the level of 842 ± 4.05 mm. The average slaughter weight of the pigs fell along with increasing measured pH1 value. The highest average price per 1 kg of dressed carcass (44.50 ± 2.29 CZK) was established in pigs, which had a measured pH1 value ranging from 6.21 to 6.40. On the contrary, the lowest average price per 1 kg of dressed carcass (42.49 ± 4.30 CZK) was determined for pigs with the pH1 value of < 6.00. The average slaughter weight of the pigs increased along with the increasing values of the length of the dressed carcass.