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Piglet and Pork Production from Gilts Bred at Puberty: Chemical Composition of the Carcass and Assessment of Meat Quality^{1 ,2,}

Agriculture Canada, Research Branch, Ottawa, Ontario K1A OC6

Abstract

Fifty-four gilts had been fed three levels of soybean oil and of soybean (SB) protein added to a basal diet in a factorial experiment to determine their effects on puberty, at which time the gilts were bred and the experimental diets discontinued. They were penned and fed individually during the growing, gestation and lactation periods then either marketed as once-bred gilts or rebred as sows. A group of gilts had been selected to act as unbred controls and another to provide conventional market weight (90 kg) controls. Puberty averaged 172 days but differences between dietary treatments were not significant. The number of piglets born was smaller (P<.05) for gilts fed the lowest level of SB protein. The body weight of the once-bred gilts at weaning was slightly less than that immediately after farrowing; their carcasses were lighter and carried less fat than those of the unbred controls. Loin and ham roasts were evaluated for flavor, juiciness and tenderness and subjected to several objective tests. Quantity of liquid fat as a percentage of total fat obtained after roasting was related directly to the level of oil added to the pre-puberal diet of the sows. Additionally, the lino-leic acid content of the shoulder fat was higher (P<.01) in gilts fed the 20% oil diet than the 0% diet and it was also higher (P<.05) in their weaned piglets. Of 23 designated sows, 17 were rebred within 8 days postweaning; overall embryo mortality for these sows at day 30 was higher than expected.

¹ Animal Research Institute, Contribution No. 803. Food Research Institute, Contribution No. 373. Engineering and Statistical Research Institute, Contribution No. 1–54.

² The authors wish to acknowledge the cooperation of H. Grieger (Livestock Division, Production and Marketing Branch, Agriculture Canada, Ottawa) for carcass grading procedures and the technical assistance of Gisele Larocque (Food Research Institute) and R. B. Anderson (Analytical Chemistry Services, Chemistry and Biology Research Institute, Ottawa), and Susan M. Lamont (Animal Research Institute) for embryo examination. The staff responsible for animal care, management and carcass processing were R. A. E. Armstrong, W. R. Berube, D. D. Milligan and G. N. Simmons.

³ Animal Research Institute.

⁴ Food Research Institute.

⁵ Statistical Research Section, Engineering and Statistical Research Institute.