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Fasting Effects on Dressed Yields, Shrinkage, and pH of Contractile Tissue in Swine¹

Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station, Knoxville³

Abstract

Eighty-four hogs comprising 13 litters were divided into 5 groups to study fasting effects of excretory and tissue shrinkage. The first group was slaughtered immediately off feed, and groups, 2, 3, 4 and 5 were slaughtered at the end of 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours of fasting, respectively.

During the four-day fasting regime, nearly 50% of the total shrinkage occurred by the end of 24 hours and 88% by the end of 48 hours.

Dressing percentage was not significantly affected by fasting when using off-feed weights. However, a significant correlation (r=–.29) was noted between the dressing percent and fasting time, which denotes a small loss in carcass weight that could be attributed to tissue shrinkage.

Highly significant differences among fasting periods were found for each of the following: Liver, full viscera, full gastrointestinal tract, full stomach, full small intestine, full large intestine, empty gastro-intestinal tract, empty small intestine and empty large intestine. The liver was the only one of the above items in which a monetary loss would be incurred.

The yield of pork cuts was not significantly affected by fasting; whereas differences between litters significantly affected the percent of pork wholesale cuts. The pH of muscle tissue was not significantly affected by fasting time.

¹ Data from thesis submitted by R. L. Saffle in partial fulfillment of the requirements for Master of Science degree.

² Present address: Department of Animal Husbandry, South Dakota State College, Brookings.

³ Published with the approval of the Director, Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station, Knoxville.

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