Finishing weights
INCREASING SLAUGHTER weight in Scottish pigs could lower processing costs in a demanding market, says Sandra Edwards of the University of Newcastle.
The fear that finishing pigs at slaughter weights higher than the standard 75kg have a detrimental effect on eating quality was proved unfounded in trials completed in conjunction with SAC and University of Bristol.
Pigs for the trials came from 16 farms, all conforming to current best practice defined by Scottish Farm Assurance. These produced pigs at heavy weight, 90kg deadweight, or conventional weight, 75kg at slaughter, she explained. “Eight pigs from each farm were selected based on backfat and muscle pH.
” Selected carcasses were split to provide a within-animal comparison of enhanced processing involving hip suspension and 10-day conditioning against Achilles suspension and five-day conditioning.
“A total of 256 meat samples were assessed by a trained sensory meat panel and a further 64 samples sent for consumer testing,” added Prof Edwards.
“The trained panel detected no effect of slaughter weight on intensity of quality attributes, while the consumer panel scored eating quality of meat from heavy pigs more highly.” However, these benefits were counter balanced by higher levels of perceived fat, which were viewed as undesirable, she added.
“Enhanced post-slaughter processing gave conflicting results from the trained testing panel, with enhanced tenderness, but reduced juiciness.”
Dr Edwards concluded that selecting for a minimum threshold of carcass fat could offer potential for niche marketing of higher eating quality pigmeat, but only when combined with fat trimming of the product.