Ham and belly processing characteristics of immunological castrated barrows (Improvest) fed ractopamine hydrochloride (Paylean).

Abstract Effects of sex class (physically castrated, PC or immunologically castrated, IC) and diet (0 or 5 mg/kg ractopamine hydrochloride, RAC) on characteristics of ham and bellies were determined from pigs slaughtered in three groups with similar ending live weights. One carcass per pen per marketing group (n = 8) was selected to evaluate further processing characteristics. Data were analyzed as a 2 × 2 factorial design with a split plot in time and fixed effects of sex, diet, marketing group, and their interactions. IC fresh bellies were thinner ( P P P P  > 0.05) fresh ham or belly characteristics but decreased ( P P