Carcass and meat quality traits of pigs with different blood fractions of “Mora Romagnola” breed, reared outdoors

Nowadays, the Mora Romagnola (MR) is a small numbered autochthonous Italian pig breed, and, thus, is often crossed with genetically improved animals, including commercial hybrids, to get subjects which are reared outdoors for the production of fresh meat and traditional seasoned salami. This research aims to get preliminary information on both carcass and meat quality traits of either purebred MR, or PICxMR (MR50), or (PICxMR)xMR (MR75), reared outdoors in an organic pig farm on Reggio Emilia Apennines, in Italy. Examined carcases (4 MR, 5 MR50, and 7 MR75), though showing high and extremely variable weights (MR 152.2 kg, MR50 245.3 kg, MR75 214.4 kg), produced very valuable lean cuts contents (MR 60.1%, MR50 53.3%, MR75 56.0%) and fair adipose cuts contents (MR 32.0%, MR50 41,2%, MR75 37,2%). On average, Longissimus dorsi muscle (LD) contained 69.1% water, 22.4% protein, and 6.8% fat, with no difference among the genetic types. Colour and pH values of thigh and LD muscles at 24h p.m. showed optimal values, suitable even for PDO productio