GROWTH, CARCASS COMPOSITION AND MEAT QUAL ITY IN PIGS WITH DIFFERENT CAPACITY FOR LIPID DEPOSITION

Differences between German Saddle Back (DS) and German Landrace (DL) p igs in fattening and carcass performance as well as meat quality and M HS-stress status were investigated. 58 male castrates of both breeds w ere fed individually semi ad libitum from 28-108 kg live weight. Every 14 days pigs were weighed and blood samples from v. cava cranialis we re taken to analyze urea and creatinine contents. Post mortem carcass evaluation showed a very much higher internal and subcutaneous fat con tent for DS as compared to DL. Lean meat content measured by FOM was m ore than 10% lower in DS. Also empty intestine weight of DS was signif icantly smaller than in DL. Intramuscular fat content was more than do ubled in DS as compared to DL leading to a significantly better tender ness of DS loins. PSE related meat quality parameters, however, were m ostly poorer in DS than in DL because the former showed to a third the heterozygous MHS (NP) condition whereas all DL pigs were homozygously stress resistant. Whether this is characteristic for the two breeds o r just a finding in our small samples remain to be studied in further trials.