MEAT AND CARCASS QUALITY OF HEAVY MUSCLED BELGIAN SLAUGHTER PIGS AS INFLUENCED BY HALOTHANE SENSITIVITY AND BREED

In order to investigate the antagonism between meat quantity and quali ty, halothane-positive (HP) and -negative (HN) Belgian Landrace pigs ( B) and Pietrain X Belgian Landrace crosses (PB) were compared for seve ral carcass and meat quality traits. They originated from three commer cial farms and were slaughtered in a commercial abattoir. Carcass qual ity was determined by a SKGII-device. Meat quality traits were measure d on the warm and cold carcass, and on a loin slice. HP and PB pigs sh owed better carcass quality, and inferior meat quality, compared with HN and B pigs respectively. No significant halothane sensitivity X bre ed interaction was apparent for most traits. Sex did not affect meat q uality. Slaughter day variance was considerable. The inverse relations hip between lean content or conformation score and meat quality was ge nerally more pronounced in the HP group compared to the HN group (exce pt for drip and cooking losses). Irrespective of halothane status, car cass conformational score was more negatively related to meat quality than was lean content.