Usefulness of pH1 and EC50 values, glycogen, glucose and lactic acid content in biopsy samples taken from pigs of different RYR1 genotypes for meat quality prediction

The aim of this study was to compare the values of pH(1), EC50, muscle glycogen, glucose and lactic acid content in the commercial hybrid pigs with different RYR1 genotypes and the prediction of meat quality from biopsy samples of Musculus longissimus lumborum et thoracis taken in vivo, approximately at 80 kg live weight. The results showed that RYR1 genotypes influence the values of meat quality (pH(1) and EC50) both after slaughter and from biopsies, carried out about 5 weeks before slaughter. The occurrence of PSE meat ranged in biopsy samples according to pH from 10.16 to 14.58% but after slaughter from 9.47 to 54.35%. The correlation coefficients between pH (r = 0.39; P less than or equal to 0.05) and EC50, (r = 0.23; P less than or equal to 0.05) from biopsies and after slaughter were very low. The levels of muscle glycogen, glucose and lactic acid did not differentiate between the RYR1, genotypes. There was a high variability in measured traits between and within the groups of RYR1 genotypes. The results indicated that the values of pH(1), EC50, glycogen, glucose and lactic acid in biopsy samples were not useful for prediction of meat quality after slaughter.