Meat production using four terminal pig lines

Abstract: The influence of terminal sire (Duroc (D1 and D2), Large White/Pietrain (LW/P) and LargeWhite (LW)) on several meat production and meat quality traits was investigated in 452 male and femaleoffspring of Landrace/Large White dams. Age at slaughter, carcass length, carcass weight and dressingyield were similar for all lines, as was the production of shoulders, chops, and ribs with bacon. D2-siredpigs produced more noble pieces as a percentage of their carcass weight than the other three lines. LW/P-and LW-sired pigs were generally leaner than Duroc-sired pigs. LW/P and LW pigs had the highestpercentage of cuts (longissimus dorsi and semimembranosus muscle) classified as pale, soft and exudative(PSE) meat. There were no large differences between the lines in the occurrence of dark, firm and dry(DFD) cuts.  2003 Society of Chemical Industry Keywords: pigs; meat production; meat quality; terminal sires INTRODUCTION Consumers are showing a growing interest in meatquality, and the meat industry is attempting to satisfythis interest by selecting the most appropriate usefor its products.