Journal of Animal Science, Vol 80, Issue 3 617-627, Copyright © 2002 by American Society of Animal Science

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Correlations among selected pork quality traits

E. Huff-Lonergan, T. J. Baas, M. Malek, J. C. Dekkers, K. Prusa and M. F. Rothschild
Department of Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames 50011, USA. elonerga@iastate.edu

Establishing relationships among specific quality traits is important if significant progress toward developing improved pork quality is to be realized. As part of a study to examine the individual effects of genes on meat quality traits in pigs, a three-generation resource family was developed. Two Berkshire sires and nine Yorkshire dams were used to produce nine F1 litters. Sixty-five matings were made from the F1 litters to produce four sets of F2 offspring, for a total of 525 F2 animals used in the study. These F2 animals were slaughtered at a commercial facility upon reaching approximately 110 kg. Carcass composition traits, pH measurements, and subjective quality scores were made at 24 h postmortem. Loin samples (n = 525) were collected at 48 h postmortem, and meat quality traits were evaluated. These traits included pH (48 h), Hunter L-values, drip loss, glycolytic potential, ratio of type IIa/IIb myosin heavy chains (IIa/IIb), total lipid, instrumental measures of tenderness using the Star Probe attachment of the Instron, cook loss measurements, and sensory evaluations. Significant phenotypic correlations were found between many carcass, instrumental, and biochemical measurements, and sensory quality traits. Star Probe measurements were significantly correlated with drip loss (0.29), glycolytic potential (0.30), pH (-0.29), total lipid (-0.14), and Hunter L-values (0.28). Drip loss was significantly correlated with glycolytic potential (0.36), pH (-0.28), IIa/IIb (-0.10), and Hunter L-values (0.33). Hunter L-values were also significantly correlated with total lipid (0.33) and IIa/ IIb (-0.11). Sensory tenderness, flavor, and off-flavor scores were significantly correlated with drip loss, pH, and glycolytic potential measurements. Marbling score, total lipid, and drip loss were not significantly correlated with sensory juiciness scores, but cooking loss was. Marbling and total lipid were significantly correlated with firmness scores (0.37 and 0.31, respectively). Taken together, the data in this study suggest that changes in some meat quality traits can affect many other meat quality attributes. The correlations yield information that could aid in directing future studies aimed at understanding the underlying biological mechanisms behind the development of many quality traits.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. M. Lonergan, K. J. Stalder, E. Huff-Lonergan, T. J. Knight, R. N. Goodwin, K. J. Prusa, and D. C. Beitz Influence of lipid content on pork sensory quality within pH classification J Anim Sci, April 1, 2007; 85(4): 1074 - 1079. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Q. W. Shen, K. R. Underwood, W. J. Means, R. J. McCormick, and M. Du The halothane gene, energy metabolism, adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase, and glycolysis in postmortem pig longissimus dorsi muscle J Anim Sci, April 1, 2007; 85(4): 1054 - 1061. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. M. Bender, M. T. See, D. J. Hanson, T. E. Lawrence, and J. P. Cassady Correlated responses in growth, carcass, and meat quality traits to divergent selection for testosterone production in pigs J Anim Sci, June 1, 2006; 84(6): 1331 - 1337. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. R. Schwab, T. J. Baas, K. J. Stalder, and J. W. Mabry Effect of long-term selection for increased leanness on meat and eating quality traits in Duroc swine J Anim Sci, June 1, 2006; 84(6): 1577 - 1583. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. Gondret, L. Lefaucheur, H. Juin, I. Louveau, and B. Lebret Low birth weight is associated with enlarged muscle fiber area and impaired meat tenderness of the longissimus muscle in pigs J Anim Sci, January 1, 2006; 84(1): 93 - 103. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Suzuki, M. Irie, H. Kadowaki, T. Shibata, M. Kumagai, and A. Nishida Genetic parameter estimates of meat quality traits in Duroc pigs selected for average daily gain, longissimus muscle area, backfat thickness, and intramuscular fat content J Anim Sci, September 1, 2005; 83(9): 2058 - 2065. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. W. Newcom, T. J. Baas, C. R. Schwab, and K. J. Stalder Genetic and phenotypic relationships between individual subcutaneous backfat layers and percentage of longissimus intramuscular fat in Duroc swine J Anim Sci, February 1, 2005; 83(2): 316 - 323. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. Toniolo, M. Patruno, L. Maccatrozzo, M. A. Pellegrino, M. Canepari, R. Rossi, G. D'Antona, R. Bottinelli, C. Reggiani, and F. Mascarello Fast fibres in a large animal: fibre types, contractile properties and myosin expression in pig skeletal muscles J. Exp. Biol., May 1, 2004; 207(11): 1875 - 1886. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. A. Latorre, R. Lazaro, D. G. Valencia, P. Medel, and G. G. Mateos The effects of gender and slaughter weight on the growth performance, carcass traits, and meat quality characteristics of heavy pigs J Anim Sci, February 1, 2004; 82(2): 526 - 533. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. S. Wilborn, C. R. Kerth, W. F. Owsley, W. R. Jones, and L. T. Frobish Improving pork quality by feeding supranutritional concentrations of vitamin D3 J Anim Sci, January 1, 2004; 82(1): 218 - 224. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. N. Hamilton, K. D. Miller, M. Ellis, F. K. McKeith, and E. R. Wilson Relationships between longissimus glycolytic potential and swine growth performance, carcass traits, and pork quality J Anim Sci, September 1, 2003; 81(9): 2206 - 2212. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. M. Stoller, H. N. Zerby, S. J. Moeller, T. J. Baas, C. Johnson, and L. E. Watkins The effect of feeding ractopamine (Paylean) on muscle quality and sensory characteristics in three diverse genetic lines of swine J Anim Sci, June 1, 2003; 81(6): 1508 - 1516. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]