The Influence of pig breed on meet quality

Experiments were carried out at the Laboratory of Meat Characteristics and Quality. The aim of work – The study was designed to perform comparative evaluation of meat quality of different pigs breed. The task of research: 1. To analyse the literature about the influence of pig breed on meat quality. 2. To investigate the different breeds of pig meat quality indicators. 3. To determine meat quality differences between varieties. The samples were used from four different pig breeds: Lithuanian White, Large White, Landrace and Yorkshire of boars (castrates) and gilts. 20 samples were taken from each breed: 10 samples of bears and 10 samples of gilts. Pigs were fattened up at the State Pig Breeding Station. In order to estimate the quality of different pigs breed meat chemical composition, pH, color, water binding capacity, cooking loss, drip loss of long back muscle (musculus longissimus dorsi) was tested. Analysis of results of meat physical traits have shown significant differences between different pigs breed. In different pigs breed the highest statistically significant differences were registered comparing meat pH, shear force kg/cm², percentages of drip loss (p < 0,05) and water binding capacity. There were no significant differences in the meat colour and meat cooking loss percentage. Further, pigs breed have shown influence on meat chemical composition. In addition, statistically significant differences in meat dry matter and intramuscular fat were observed. Analysis of results showed significant influence of the gilts and boars (castrates) on meat quality. Gilts had the highest statistically significant influence on the meat shear force kg/cm², percentages of drip loss and water binding capacity. All data had been made through statistical package of analysis by EXCEL computation, accordingly to: average, minimal and maximal value of measures, variation grade (range) between the enterprises’ data, dispersion