EFFECT OF THE MHS STRESS GENE UPON MEAT PRODUCTION AND MEAT QUALITY IN PROGENY OF PIETRAIN AND (PIETRAIN-ASTERISK-HAMPSHIRE)-CROSSBRED BOARS

This experiment at the research farm Relliehausen of Gottingen Univers ity was carried out in order to improve the meat quality of crossbred pigs and to reduce the utilization of stress susceptible sire lines in German pig breeding. From 10 Pietrain and 12 (Pietrain Hampshire)-b oars, all heterozygot NP at the MHS-locus, 132 litters were produced w ith crossbred sows of the two stress resistant BHZP dam lines. Only Li tters which contained NN and NP pigs were included in the experiment. 784 carcasses (385 NN and 399 NP) were evaluated according to station testing procedures and meat quality was detected using pH measurements 45 minutes and 24 hours post mortem. Economic values of groups were c alculated including fattening days, feed consumption FOM lean % and ad ditionally (for BEG Premium) FOM fat- and muscle thickness. Meat quali ty was included by a reduction of 15 DM per PSE-carcass, PSE being def ined by two alternative limits of pH45 in the loin (< 5.8 as usual and < 6.0 for higher qualities). The following results were found: Progen y of(PI KA) cross bred boars were superior to PI-boars in meat produ ction and by 2 to 3 DM/Pig in overall economy. This margin was nearly doubled when PSE-deductions were included in the payment system Betwee n slaughter pigs of NN and NP genotypes only small differences were fo und in fattening performance, but NP-pigs had 0.56 % more FOM-lean con tent. The percentage of PSE carcasses in NP-pigs exceeded that in NN-p igs by 12 to 27 %.With a PSE deduction of 15 DM per PSE carcass homozy gously stress resistant (NN) slaughter pigs would become economically competitive with NP-pigs which dominate on the present markets. This w ould not only improve the overall meat quality of slaughter pigs but a lso respond to complaints of the animal welfare lobby to completely ba n stress susceptible lines form breeding programmes.