Meat quality traits in longissimus lumborum and gluteus medius muscles from immunocastrated and surgically castrated Iberian pigs

Abstract This study analyzes quality traits of longissimus lumborum and gluteus medius in surgically castrated (SC) males, inmunocastrated (IC) males and IC female Iberian pigs reared in intensive conditions ( n  = 18/sex). Vaccination with Improvac® was applied at 18 and 26 weeks of age and slaughtering at 31 weeks. At such conditions, notable sex differences were found. Both muscles of IC males were less red ( P longissimus had lower intramuscular fat ( P gluteus less Fe content ( P P  IC females > SC males in both muscles. It was concluded that meat quality traits differed between inmunocastrated and surgically castrated male Iberian pigs.