ANALYSIS OF MUSCLE-FIBER CHARACTERISTICS OF HAMPSHIRE AND CROSSBRED PIGS

Title of the paper: Analysis of muscle fibre characteristics of Hampsh ire and crossbred pigs. The aim of the present study was to analyse mu scle fibre characteristics of four genetic groups with different propo rtion of Hampshire genes. Muscle fibre characteristics were analysed i n the Musculus longissimus dorsi of 155 pigs by using the shot biopsy technique. Furthermore 24 h p.m. muscle samples were taken from the Lo ngissimus dorsi muscle and the same parameters of muscle fibres were d etermined. The results of this study can be summarized as follows: 1. The analysis of the muscle fibre characteristics in the muscle biopsy samples showed the lowest diameter of all fibre types for the purebred Hampshire and the crossbred LWxLR. In the fibre type composition Hamp shire pigs had the lowest percentage of white and the highest percenta ge of red fibres. These results suggest a good quality of meat for the Hampshire pigs. 2. Results of the comparison between the fibre diamet er in muscle biopsy samples and in samples of the carcass showed a mar ked decrease in the fibre diameter of all genetic groups with exceptio n of the Hampshire pigs. 3. The phenotypic correlations between meat q uality traits, muscle fibre characteristics and the post mortem glycog enolysis ranged at low to medium level. Out of all muscle fibre charac teristics, the diameter of muscle fibres was closer correlated to para meters of glycogenolysis and of meat quality traits as the fibre type composition.