Carcass and meat quality of primiparous sows as related to the lactation period of 21 or 28 days and to body weight loss

The study included 70 primiparous sows nursing piglets for 21 days and 30 sows nursing piglets for 28 days. Body weight of the sows was recorded at mating, farrowing, weaning and slaughter. The assessment covered the degree of sow body weight loss and its influence on carcass and meat quality as related to the lactation period and to the extent of lactation body loss below 5%, from 5 to 10% and over 10% of body weight. Carcass quality as well as physicochemical meat traits were also subjected to evaluation. Extending the nursing period from 21 to 28 days increased the average lactation body weight loss from 7.88 to 8.50% (P ≤ 0.01). This did not influence the carcass quality in any noticeable way; nonetheless, some meat traits did yield less favourable results. These were related to the electric conductivity of the meat as well as its water holding capacity and colour (P ≤ 0.01). The same undesirable tendency was observed in the group of sows with body weight losses exceeding 10%. It resulted in the decrease of backfat thickness (P ≤ 0.01) and reduction of certain meat traits, particularly lower protein content (P ≤ 0.05). Lower carcass fatness of primiparous sows is a beneficial trait in preparation of a heavy pig for slaughter