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Body Composition of Market Weight Pigs¹

Michigan State University^,5,6,, East Lansing

Abstract

Twenty-four pigs weighing 181 to 220 lb. each were dissected into seven separate body compartments (carcass, head, pluck, G.I. tract, G.I. contents, blood and hair). Each compartment was frozen, sawed into thin strips (except for the hair), ground until homogenous and sampled for chemical analysis. The samples were then analyzed for fat, moisture, ash and protein. The composition and contribution of each compartment to the whole animals are presented. Results indicated that fat content was the most variable component. The composition of the empty bodies (whole animal minus G.I. contents) on a fat-free basis was extremely constant and was nearly identical to the composition of the fat-free carcasses. Equations for estimating the fat content of the whole and empty body from the water content were computed.

A highly significant correlation (r=–.58) was obtained between the water content of the fat-free body and total body fat, indicating that the water content was influenced by the total fat content of the body. Thus, results indicated that the pigs used in this study were not chemically mature, and that estimation of fat from a constant value for the moisture content of the fat-free body was not valid.

Of the various body compartments, the carcass made the greatest contribution to the composition of the whole body. It accounted for approximately 74% of the water, 90% of the fat, 76% of the protein and 79% of the ash. The errors that would be involved by failing to analyze the various body compartments are presented and can be used as guides to attain the desired accuracy in body composition studies.

¹ Journal Article 3084, Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, East Lansing.

² Present address: U. S. Dept. of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

³ Department of Food Science.

⁴ Department of Physiology and Pharmacology.

⁵ The data reported herein are a portion of a thesis submitted to The School of Advanced Graduate Studies, Michigan State University by the senior author in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Ph.D. degree.

⁶ This study was supported in part by the National Institutes of Health Research Grant AM 04172.