The influence of genotype and growth rate on carcass composition and meat quality of pigs

The carcass traits were studied in 1430 pigs kept under identical condition s. The animals were divided into two genotypes (reproduction-meat and meat type) and three nested subgroups according to daily weight gain (I - up to 750 g, II - 750-900 g, III - above 900 g daily weight gain). The pigs were slaughtered at 100 kg live weight. Significant differences (P < 0.001) betw een two commercial types in % lean meat content, valuable lean cuts, averag e backfat thickness, musculus longissimus dorsi (m.l.d.) area, % meat of ha m with bones of carcass weight as well as in PH45 were found. Significantly (P < 0.05) worse feed conversion was achieved in reproduction-meat type in the subgroups with daily weight gain lip to 750 g and/or 750-900 g. A decr easing proportion of % lean meat content in reproduction-meat type (53.12, 53.37, 51.53 % according to subgroups I, II, III) and in the meat type (56. 06, 55.13 and 54.48 %) were observed. A similar trend was found also in the proportion of valuable lean cuts. On the other hand, increasing backfat th ickness (21.4, 21.7 and 23.2 mm) for reproduction-meat and (19.8, 21.3 and 21.9 mm) for meat type was found with increasing daily weight gain.