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Effect of Liveweight on Quality, Proximate Composition, Certain Protein Components and Free Amino Acids of Porcine Muscle¹

University of Kentucky, Lexington

Abstract

Four litters of five Hampshire half-sib bar-rows were grown and finished under the same environmental conditions and distributed among slaughter weight groups of 73 ±2, 86±2, 100 ± 2, 113±2 and 127 ± 2 kg. so that each litter was represented in each weight group.

There was a significant (P<.05) curvilinear relationship among the weight groups with respect to color and firmness with the 127-kg. weight group having pale, soft pork. A linear decrease (P<.01) in texture as the weight increased was found. The lighter weight groups had significantly better flavor (P<.05), juiciness (P<.01) and over-all satisfaction (P<.05). No differences were found with respect to tenderness, but there was a significant linear relationship among the Warner-Bratzler shear values with the heaviest weight group shearing the most tender.

The percent protein of the l. dorsi muscle increased linearly (P<.01) and the percent collagen nitrogen decreased linearly (P<.05) as the liveweight increased. The percent sarcoplasmic protein nitrogen varied significantly (P<.05) among the weight groups. There were no significant differences among weight groups in the percents total fibrillar protein nitrogen, soluble fibrillar protein nitrogen, nonprotein nitrogen and residual connective tissue protein nitrogen.

The molar percents of free valine, methionine, isoleucine, phenylalanine and histidine showed significant (P<.01) linear increases; those of threonine and leucine showed significant (P<.05) increases; and those of free glycine (P<.01) and alanine (P<.05) showed decreases with increasing liveweight.

¹ The investigation reported in this paper (67-5-74) is in connection with a project of the Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station and is published with approval of the Director.

² Present address: Department of Animal Science, University of Minnesota, St. Paul.

³ The authors gratefully acknowledge the assistance of the University of Kentucky Computing Center in analyzing data.