Open AccessMyofibrillar fragmentation in entire male, immunocastrated or surgically castrated pigs
Author(s) -
Martin Škrlep,
Klavdija Poklukar,
Nina Batorek-Lukač,
Kevin Kress,
Marjeta ČandekPotokar
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
iop conference series. earth and environmental science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.179
H-Index - 26
eISSN - 1755-1307
pISSN - 1755-1315
DOI - 10.1088/1755-1315/333/1/012102
Subject(s) - myofibril , tenderness , castration , longissimus dorsi , meat tenderness , biology , zoology , fragmentation (computing) , endocrinology , anatomy , andrology , hormone , medicine , ecology
In order to better characterise differences in meat quality traits between the alternatives to surgical castration, myofibrillar fragment length was investigated in longissimus dorsi muscle of entire (n=12), immunocastrated (n=12) and surgically castrated (n=12) male pigs. Higher myofibrillar fragment length was observed in meat from entire pigs than in surgically castrated and immunocastrated male pigs after two days of post mortem storage (38% and 19%, respectively). There were no differences between the groups after 7 days of post mortem storage. Although this change in myofibrillar fragment length indicates a higher proteolytic potential of muscle from entire male pigs than the other pigs studied, it could not be associated with the meat quality traits of meat tenderness or water holding capacity, suggesting the importance of other influential factors over the proteolysis.