Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-j824f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T11:49:35.393Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Performances, meat quality and boar taint of castrates and entire male pigs fed a standard and a raw potato starch-enriched diet

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 November 2008

C. Pauly ,
P. Spring ,
J. V. O’Doherty ,
S. Ampuero Kragten  and
G. Bee
C. Pauly
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, Swiss College of Agriculture, Zollikofen 3052, Switzerland School of Agriculture, Food Science and Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland
P. Spring
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, Swiss College of Agriculture, Zollikofen 3052, Switzerland
J. V. O’Doherty
Affiliation:
School of Agriculture, Food Science and Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland
S. Ampuero Kragten
Affiliation:
Agroscope Liebefeld Posieux Research Station ALP, Posieux 1725, Switzerland
G. Bee*
Affiliation:
Agroscope Liebefeld Posieux Research Station ALP, Posieux 1725, Switzerland
*
E-mail: Giuseppe.Bee@alp.admin.ch
Get access

Abstract

In Europe there is increasing concern about the common practice of surgical castration of piglets without anaesthesia. One possible alternative to completely avoid castration is entire male pig production. Thus, the objective of the study was to compare the growth performance, carcass characteristics, organ weights, meat quality traits, fat score and boar taint compounds in the adipose tissue of group-penned entire male pigs and castrates. Furthermore, the effect of raw potato starch (RPS) fed for 7 days prior to slaughter was determined. Pigs (n = 36) were blocked by BW into 12 blocks (3 littermates/block) and assigned to three experimental groups: surgical castrates (C); entire males (EM); and entire males offered RPS (30 g RPS/100 g diet) for 7 days prior to slaughter (EM+). Pigs had ad libitum access to the feed from 22 to 107 kg, individual feed intake was recorded daily and BW once a week. Entire males grew slower (EM: 771, EM+: 776 v. C: 830 g/day; P < 0.01), consumed less feed (EM: 1.87, EM+: 1.89 v. C: 2.23 kg/day; P < 0.01) and were more efficient (feed conversion ratio: EM: 2.42, EM+: 2.44 v. C: 2.69 kg/kg; P < 0.01) than C. Compared to C, carcass dressing percentage was lower (EM: 79.4, EM+: 79.4 v. C: 81.6%; P < 0.01) and percentage of valuable cuts was higher (EM: 57.3, EM+: 56.5 v. 52.6%; P < 0.01) in entire males. The hearts (EM: 426, EM+: 425 v. C: 378 g), kidneys (EM: 387, EM+: 378 v. C: 311 g), bulbourethral (EM: 200, EM+: 195 v. C: 7 g) and salivary glands (EM: 99, EM+: 94 v. C: 42 g) were heavier (P < 0.001) in entire males than in C. Meat quality traits did not (P > 0.05) differ among experimental groups but the adipose tissue was more unsaturated in entire males than in C as indicated by the higher fat scores (EM: 69.1, EM+: 67.2 v. C: 63.6; P < 0.01). Feeding RPS reduced (P = 0.04) the skatole tissue concentrations (expressed in μg/g lipid) in EM+ (0.22) compared to EM (0.85), whereas androstenone and indole levels were not (P ⩾ 0.60) affected (EM: 1.7 and 0.10, EM+: 2.0 and 0.09, respectively). Although the current results confirmed the high efficiency of entire males compared to castrates, the observed high androstenone levels represent a major challenge to implement entire males production.

Keywords

carcass characteristicsentire male piggrowth performanceraw potato starchskatole
Type
Full Paper
Information
animal , Volume 2 , Issue 11 , November 2008 , pp. 1707 - 1715
Copyright
Copyright © The Animal Consortium 2008

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Andersson, K, Schaub, A, Andersson, K, Lundström, K, Thomke, S, Hansson, I 1997. The effects of feeding system, lysine level and gilt contact on performance, skatole levels and economy of entire male pigs. Livestock Production Science 51, 131–140.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Andersson, HK, Hullberg, A, Malmgren, L, Lundström, K, Rydhmer, L, Squires, J 1999. Sexual maturity in entire male pigs: environmental effects, relations to skatole level and female puberty. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section A – Animal Sciences 49, 103–112.Google Scholar
Andersson, HK, Andersson, K, Zamaratskaia, G, Rydhmer, L, Chen, G, Lundström, K 2005. Effect of single-sex or mixed rearing and live weight on performance, technological meat quality and sexual maturity in entire male and female pigs fed raw potato starch. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section A – Animal Sciences 55, 80–90.Google Scholar
Annor-Frempong, IE, Nute, GR, Whittington, FW, Wood, JD 1997. The problem of taint in pork: I. Detection thresholds and odour profiles of androstenone and skatole in a model system. Meat Science 46, 45–55.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Babol, J, Squires, EJ, Lundström, K 1998a. Hepatic metabolism of skatole in pigs by cytochrome P4502E1. Journal of Animal Science 76, 822–828.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Babol, J, Squires, EJ, Lundström, K 1998b. Relationship between oxidation and conjugation metabolism of skatole in pig liver and concentrations of skatole in fat. Journal of Animal Science 76, 829–838.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Babol, J, Zamaratskaia, G, Juneja, RK, Lundström, K 2004. The effect of age on distribution of skatole and indole levels in entire male pigs in four breeds: Yorkshire, Landrace, Hampshire and Duroc. Meat Science 67, 351–358.Google Scholar
Barton-Gade, PA 1987. Meat and fat quality in boars, castrates and gilts. Livestock Production Science 16, 187–196.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bee, G 2001. Dietary conjugated linoleic acids affect tissue lipid composition but not de novo lipogenesis in finishing pigs. Animal Research 50, 383–399.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bee, G, Gebert, S, Messikommer, R 2002. Effect of dietary energy supply and fat source on the fatty acid pattern of adipose and lean tissues and lipogenesis in the pig. Journal of Animal Science 80, 1564–1574.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bee, G, Calderini, M, Biolley, C, Guex, G, Herzog, W, Lindemann, MD 2007. Changes in the histochemical properties and meat quality traits of porcine muscles during the growing-finishing period as affected by feed restriction, slaughter age, or slaughter weight. Journal of Animal Science 85, 1030–1045.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bee, G, Jacot, S, Guex, G, Biolley, C 2008. Effects of two supplementation levels of linseed combined with CLA or tallow on meat quality traits and fatty acid profile of adipose and different muscle tissues in slaughter pigs. Animal 2, 800–811.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bergsma R, Knol E and Feitsma H 2007. Parameters of AI boars and predicted correlated responses of selection against boar taint. In 58th Annual Meeting of the European Association for Animal Production. Wageningen Academic Publishers, Dublin.Google Scholar
Black, JL, Giles, LR, Wynn, PC, Knowles, AG, Kerr, CA, Jones, MR, Strom, AD, Gallagher, NL, Eamens, GJ 2001. A review – factors limiting the performance of growing pigs in commercial environments. In Manipulating pig production VIII (ed. PD Cranwell), pp. 9–36. Australasian Pig Science Association, Werribee, Australia.Google Scholar
Bonneau, M 1982. Compounds responsible for boar taint, with special emphasis on androstenone: a review. Livestock Production Science 9, 687–705.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bonneau, M 1998. Use of entire males for pig meat in the European Union. Meat Science 49 (suppl. 1), S257–S272.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bonneau, M, Denmat, M, Vaudelet, C, Veloso-Nunes, JR, Mortensen, AB, Mortensen, HP 1992. Contribution of fat androstenone and skatole to boar taint I. Sensory attributes of fat and pork meat. Livestock Production Science 32, 63–80.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bonneau, M, Kempster, AJ, Claus, R, Claudi-Magnussen, C, Diestre, A, Tornberg, E, Walstra, P, Chevillon, P, Weiler, U, Cook, GL 2000. An international study on the importance of androstenone and skatole for boar taint: I. Presentation of the programme and measurement of boar taint compounds with different analytical procedures. Meat Science 54, 251–259.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Campbell, RG, Steele, NC, Caperna, TJ, McMurtry, JP, Solomon, MB, Mitchell, AD 1989. Interrelationships between sex and exogenous growth hormone administration on performance, body composition and protein and fat accretion of growing pigs. Journal of Animal Science 67, 177–186.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chen, G, Zamaratskaia, G, Andersson, HK, Lundström, K 2007. Effects of raw potato starch and live weight on fat and plasma skatole, indole and androstenone levels measured by different methods in entire male pigs. Food Chemistry 101, 439–448.Google Scholar
Claus, R, Weiler, U 1987. Umwelteinflüsse auf das geschlechtsspezifische Wachstumsvermögen. Übersichten zur Tierernährung 15, 301–316.Google Scholar
Claus, R, Weiler, U, Herzog, A 1994. Physiological aspects of androstenone and skatole formation in the boar: review with experimental data. Meat Science 38, 289–305.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Claus, R, Losel, D, Lacorn, M, Mentschel, J, Schenkel, H 2003. Effects of butyrate on apoptosis in the pig colon and its consequences for skatole formation and tissue accumulation. Journal of Animal Science 81, 239–248.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cronin, GM, Dunshea, FR, Butler, KL, McCauley, I, Barnett, JL, Hemsworth, PH 2003. The effects of immuno- and surgical-castration on the behaviour and consequently growth of group-housed, male finisher pigs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 81, 111–126.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
D’Souza, DN, Mullan, BP 2002. The effect of genotype, sex and management strategy on the eating quality of pork. Meat Science 60, 95–101.Google Scholar
Desmoulin, B, Bonneau, M, Frouin, A, Bidard, JB 1982. Consumer testing of pork and processed meat from boars: the influence of fat androstenone level. Livestock Production Science 9, 707–715.Google Scholar
Diaz, GJ, Squires, EJ 2000. Metabolism of 3-methylindole by porcine liver microsomes: responsible cytochrome P450 enzymes. Toxicological Sciences 55, 284–292.Google Scholar
Dunshea, FR, King, RH, Campbell, RG, Sainz, RD, Kim, YS 1993. Interrelationships between sex and ractopamine on protein and lipid deposition in rapidly growing pigs. Journal of Animal Science 71, 2919–2930.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dunshea, FR, Colantoni, C, Howard, K, McCauley, I, Jackson, P, Long, KA, Lopaticki, S, Nugent, EA, Simons, JA, Walker, J, Hennessy, DP 2001. Vaccination of boars with a GnRH vaccine (Improvac) eliminates boar taint and increases growth performance. Journal of Animal Science 79, 2524–2535.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fredriksen, B, Lium, BM, Marka, CH, Heier, BT, Dahl, E, Choinski, JU, Nafstad, O 2006. Entire male pigs in a farrow-to-finish system. Effects on androstenone and skatole. Livestock Science 102, 146–154.Google Scholar
Giersing, M, Lundström, K, Andersson, A 2000. Social effects and boar taint: significance for production of slaughter boars (Sus scrofa). Journal of Animal Science 78, 296–305.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hansen-Moller, J 1994. Rapid high-performance liquid chromatographic method for simultaneous determination of androstenone, skatole and indole in back fat from pigs. Journal of Chromatography B. Biomedical Applications 661, 219–230.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hansen, LL, Larsen, AE, Jensen, BB, Hansen-Moller, J, Barton-Gade, PA 1994. Influence of stocking rate and faeces deposition in the pen at different temperatures on skatole concentration (boar taint) in subcutaneous fat. Animal Production 59, 99–110.Google Scholar
Honikel, KO 1998. Reference methods for the assessment of physical characteristics of meat. Meat Science 49, 447–457.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jensen, MT, Cox, RP, Jensen, BB 1995. Microbial production of skatole in the hind gut of pigs given different diets and its relation to skatole deposition in backfat. Animal Science 61, 293–304.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lin, ZH, Lou, YP, Squires, EJ 2006. Functional polymorphism in porcine CYP2E1 gene: Its association with skatole levels. Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 99, 231–237.Google Scholar
Lösel D 2006. Versuche zur Verbesserung der sensorischen Fleischqualität beim Schwein durch nutritive Hemmung der Skatolbildung. Universität Hohenheim.Google Scholar
Lösel, D, Claus, R 2005. Dose-dependent effects of resistant potato starch in the diet on intestinal skatole formation and adipose tissue accumulation in the pig. Journal of Veterinary Medicine A. Physiology, Pathology, Clinical Medicine 52, 209–212.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Malmgren L 1993. Induced testicular alterations in prepubertal and mature boars. Thesis. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala.Google Scholar
Martin, LJM, Dumon, HJW, Lecannu, G, Champ, MMJ 2000. Potato and high-amylose maize starches are not equivalent producers of butyrate for the colonic mucosa. British Journal of Nutrition 84, 689–696.Google Scholar
Mentschel, J, Claus, R 2003. Increased butyrate formation in the pig colon by feeding raw potato starch leads to a reduction of colonocyte apoptosis and a shift to the stem cell compartment. Metabolism 52, 1400–1405.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Morano, I, Gerstner, J, Ruegg, JC, Ganten, U, Ganten, D, Vosberg, HP 1990. Regulation of myosin heavy chain expression in the hearts of hypertensive rats by testosterone. Circulation Research 66, 1585–1590.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pauly C, O’Doherty JV and Spring P 2007. Performance and carcass quality of entire male pigs fattened on a commercial farm in Switzerland. In 58th Annual Meeting of the European Association for Animal Production, Dublin.Google Scholar
Prunier, A, Bonneau, M, von Borell, EH, Cinotti, S, Gunn, M, Fredriksen, B, Giersing, M, Morton, DB, Tuyttens, FAM, Velarde, A 2006. A review of the welfare consequences of surgical castration in piglets and the evaluation of non-surgical methods. Animal Welfare 15, 277–289.Google Scholar
Rydhmer, L, Zamaratskaia, G, Andersson, HK, Algers, B, Guillemet, R, Lundstrom, K 2006. Aggressive and sexual behaviour of growing and finishing pigs reared in groups, without castration. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica Section A. Animal Science 56, 109–119.Google Scholar
Sather, AS, Jeremiah, LE, Squires, EJ 1999. The effects of castration on live performance, carcass yield and meat quality of male pigs fed wheat or corn-based diets. Journal of Muscle Food 10, 245–259.Google Scholar
Scheeder, MRL, Bossi, H, Wenk, C 1999. Kritische Betrachtungen zur Fettzahl-Bestimmung. Agrarforschung 6, 1–8.Google Scholar
Schnegg HU, Stoll P and Jost M 1985. Häufigkeit von Ebergeruch bei der Schlachtung von Jungebern unterschiedlicher Herkunft. In Interner Versuchsbericht der FAG.Google Scholar
Schoonmaker, JP, Loerch, SC, Fluharty, FL, Turner, TB, Moeller, SJ, Rossi, JE, Dayton, WR, Hathaway, MR, Wulf, DM 2002. Effect of an accelerated finishing program on performance, carcass characteristics, and circulating insulin-like growth factor I concentration of early-weaned bulls and steers. Journal of Animal Science 80, 900–910.Google Scholar
Stoll P 1982. Voraussetzungen für die Mast von Jungebern: Aspekte der Fleischbeschaffenheit und der Geruchsabweichungen. In Fleischproduktion mit unkastrierten männlichen Schweinen, Eidgenössische Forschungsanstalt für viehwirtschaftliche Produktion, Posieux.Google Scholar
Suster, D, Leury, BJ, Kerton, DJ, Borg, MR, Butler, KL, Dunshea, FR 2006. Longitudinal DXA measurements demonstrate lifetime differences in lean and fat tissue deposition between boars and barrows under individual and group-penned systems. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 57, 1009–1015.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Turkstra, JA, Zeng, XY, van Diepen, JTM, Jongbloed, AW, Oonk, HB, van de Wiel, DFM, Meloen, RH 2002. Performance of male pigs immunized against GnRH is related to the time of onset of biological response. Journal of Animal Science 80, 2953–2959.Google Scholar
Walstra, P, Claudi-Magnussen, C, Chevillon, P, von Seth, G, Diestre, A, Matthews, KR, Homer, DB, Bonneau, M 1999. An international study on the importance of androstenone and skatole for boar taint: levels of androstenone and skatole by country and season. Livestock Production Science 62, 15–28.Google Scholar
Whittemore, CT, Tullis, JB, Emmans, GC 1988. Protein growth in pigs. Animal Production 46, 437–445.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Xue, J, Dial, GD, Pettigrew, JE 1997. Performance, carcass, and meat quality advantages of boars over barrows: a literature review. Swine Health and Production 5, 21–28.Google Scholar
Zamaratskaia, G, Babol, J, Andersson, H, Lundström, K 2004. Plasma skatole and androstenone levels in entire male pigs and relationship between boar taint compounds, sex steroids and thyroxine at various ages. Livestock Production Science 87, 91–98.Google Scholar
Zamaratskaia, G, Babol, J, Andersson, HK, Andersson, K, Lundström, K 2005a. Effect of live weight and dietary supplement of raw potato starch on the levels of skatole, androstenone, testosterone and oestrone sulphate in entire male pigs. Livestock Production Science 93, 235–243.Google Scholar
Zamaratskaia, G, Rydhmer, L, Chen, G, Madej, A, Andersson, HK, Lundström, K 2005b. Boar taint is related to endocrine and anatomical changes at puberty but not to aggressive behaviour in entire male pigs. Reproduction in Domestic Animals 40, 500–506.Google Scholar
Zeng, XY, Turkstra, JA, Jongbloed, AW, van Diepen, JTM, Meloen, RH, Oonk, HB, Guo, DZ, van de Wiel, DFM 2002. Performance and hormone levels of immunocastrated, surgically castrated and intact male pigs fed ad libitum high- and low-energy diets. Livestock Production Science 77, 1–11.Google Scholar