INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE NUTRITIONAL-VALUE AND THE MEAT QUALITY OF PIGS OF VARIOUS ORIGINS

Investigations into the nutrient content of the meat cuts and into the quality of the meat were carried out on 191 male and female fat pigs of the following origins: Leicoma x rotation sow (LC x ROT), Schwerfurt meat strain x (German large white x German Landrace) (SF x Fl), Pietrain x (German large white x German Landrace) (PI x FI) and hybrid boar x (German large white x German Landrace) (HY x FI). The origin with the highest proportion of muscle meat (PI x FI) had the highest crude protein content and the lowest crude fat content in all meat cuts whilst at the same time having the highest proportion of PSE meat. This was combined with a structure with the largest muscle fibre diameters and a high proportion of white fibres in the loin musculature. The connection between tissue composition in the carcase and nutrient content of the meat cuts was particulary close in the case of the belly, the lowest values being obtained for the ham. Significant relationships between carcase composition (tissue, nutrient content) and meat quality (pH45, LF(conductivity)45) were found for the PI x FI pigs, the value being r = 0.2-0.4.