1. Vitamin-mineral supplementation and accelerated chilling effects on quality of pork from pigs that are monomutant or noncarriers of the halothane gene
- Author
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Kerth, C. R., Carr, M. A., Ramsey, C. B., Brooks, J. C., Johnson, R. C., Cannon, J. E., and Miller, M. F.
- Subjects
Pork -- Quality ,Dietary supplements -- Physiological aspects ,Low temperatures -- Physiological aspects ,Halothane -- Physiological aspects ,Zoology and wildlife conservation - Abstract
We examined the effects of vitamin and mineral supplementation of the finishing diet on growth and accelerated chilling of carcasses on carcass and muscle traits of halothane gene carrier and noncarrier pigs. Barrows and gilts that were either monomutants (MON, n = 49) or noncarriers (NON, n = 28) of the halothane gene were fed a standard finishing diet until they reached 86 kg. They then were randomly assigned to one of four finishing diets formulated to contain 11 IU/kg vitamin E (0), 311 IU/kg vitamin E plus additional vitamins and minerals (300), 611 IU/kg vitamin E plus additional vitamins and minerals (600), or 911 IU/kg vitamin E plus additional vitamins and minerals (900) until they were slaughtered (118 kg). Alternating carcass sides were assigned either a normal chilling procedure (NC, 4 [degrees] C for 24 h) or an accelerated chilling procedure (AC, -20 [degrees] C for 1.5 h and then 4 [degrees] C for 22.5 h). Supplementing vitamin E in the finishing diet increased (P [is less than] 0.05) the concentration of vitamin E in the longissimus muscle. Supplementing vitamin E in the diets of MON pigs did not affect color, firmness, or cooking losses of loins or color and firmness of hams. For the NON genotype, increasing the level of vitamin E in the diet decreased (P [is less than] 0.05) the percentage of PSE loins and hams. Color and firmness scores of the gluteus medius and longissimus muscles were improved 0.4 unit (P [is less than] 0.005) by AC compared with NC of carcasses. Loin chop juiciness and flavor were improved (P [is less than] 0.05) in the MON genotype for AC compared to NC. Accelerated chilling reduced (P [is less than] 0.05) the percentage of PSE loins from 38 to 17% and PSE hams from 32 to 10% for the MON genotype, but percentage of PSE was not affected (P [is greater than] 0.05) by chilling treatment for the NON genotype. No interaction between diet and chill treatments existed for muscle quality traits (P [is greater than] 0.05). Supplementing finishing diets of NON pigs with at least 600 IU/kg vitamin E, in addition to other vitamins and minerals, or accelerated chilling of MON carcasses can reduce the incidence of PSE pork. Key Words: Chilling, Exudative Meat, Halothane Susceptibility, Meat Quality, Vitamin E
- Published
- 2001