Search Results (364)

The objective of this research was to determine the in-pen behavior and carcass yield of MCPs fed two different diets and slaughtered at two different live weights. The MCP biotype has a slow growth rate because they are fed with forage resources and locally available unconventional feeds. Sixteen castrated MCPs were used: eight pigs under 40 kg live weight and eight pigs over 40 kg. The diets were prepared with corn, soy, vitamins, and minerals, different protein levels, and the same energy content. Pigs fed the corn–soybean diet had a higher daily feed intake (500 g/d) and a significantly increased daily weight gain (160 g/d) compared to pigs fed on the corn-only diet, achieving slaughter weight in less time (4.33 times faster in pigs slaughtered at 40 kg live weight and 2.44 times faster for pigs slaughtered at 80 kg live weight). Regarding carcass yield, fat was 10% higher in pigs slaughtered at 80 kg compared to those at 40 kg. Soybean meal feeding improved the in-pen performance of MCPs but did not improve carcass yield. At higher slaughter weights, fat yield increased, but meat yield did not change. Full article

This study investigated the effects of genotype and sex on carcass traits, myosin heavy chain (MyHC) isoforms, and meat quality in pigs raised under Thai commercial conditions. Fifty pigs (25 barrows and 25 gilts) from five genotypes—purebred Duroc (D), LWLR1 (Large White_old × Landrace_old), LWLR2 (Large White_new × Landrace_new), DLWLR1 (Duroc × LWLR1), and DLWLR2 (Duroc × LWLR2)—were slaughtered at ~110 kg body weight. LWLR1 is traditional maternal line, whereas LWLR2 is a newly selected line for higher intramuscular fat (IMF). Significant genotype × sex interactions were observed for dressing percentage, carcass length, bone percentage, purge loss, pH₂₄, and L* (lightness) (p < 0.05). The Longissimus lumborum (LL) muscle of Duroc pigs showed the lowest pH₄₅ and shear force but highest IMF, whereas LWLR1 pigs exhibited higher crude protein, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and flavor-enhancing nucleotides. The LL muscle of LWLR2 and DLWLR2 pigs showed greater expression of MyHC I and IIA, as well as calpain 1 (CAPN1), calpain 2 (CAPN2), and calpastatin (CAST) genes. In contrast, Duroc pigs had the highest MyHC IIX and lowest IIB expression, opposite to patterns in LWLR1 and DLWLR1. Principal component analysis revealed distinct genotype-based clustering, emphasizing the influence of maternal lineage on pork quality and offering valuable insights for genetic selection strategies. Full article

The Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply conducted a microbiological baseline study to determine the national prevalence of Salmonella in pig carcasses, and characterize the contamination risk according to the abattoir size under federal inspection in 2014–2015. All establishments were size-classified according to their slaughtering capacity per day. Sample weights were defined to increase the external validity of data. Samples were collected after the random selection of two half-carcasses from 76 slaughterhouses, one at the pre-chilling stage and the other at least 12 h after chilling. A total of 1544 samples were analyzed in official laboratories using Vidas SLM and SPT systems; for positive samples, we used the ISO 6579:2014. The results revealed that 10.00% (CI 7.50–13.22) of the pre-chilling carcasses tested positive for Salmonella spp. The medium-sized establishments exhibited the highest prevalence (18.51%). National and international market establishments had prevalences of 17.43%, and 9.05%, respectively. For carcass samples collected after chilling, the estimated prevalence was 4.58% (CI 3.13–6.65), with the highest prevalence recorded in the medium-sized establishments (7%), and values of 12.25% and 3.5% in the NM and IM, respectively. The information and knowledge thus acquired may support the further investigation and evaluation of surveillance programs, improving food safety. Full article

The number of thoracolumbar vertebrae (NTLV) and the number of ribs (NR) are economically important traits in pigs due to their influence on carcass length and meat yield. Although VRTN is an established key gene, it fails to fully account for population-level variation in vertebral count, necessitating a further exploration of its genetic mechanisms. Given the efficacy of crossbred populations in mapping the genetic determinants of phenotypic variation, we analyzed 439 pigs from a Landrace × Yorkshire cross. Genotyping was performed via a 50 K SNP chip. Both NTLV and NR showed high heritability (0.700 and 0.752, respectively), while the number of lumbar vertebrae (NLV) showed limited variation (92.5% of pigs had NLV = 6). Using the BLINK model, four significant loci were identified. The most significant SNP, rs3469762345, located in the intergenic region between ABCD4 and VRTN, corresponds to a previously known QTL. Additionally, three novel variant sites (rs81211244, rs81347323, and rs81416674) were identified within or near the ALDH7A1, PTPRT, and PAK1 genes, which are known to play a role in bone development. This study uncovers novel swine candidate genes associated with vertebral and rib number variation, subsequently facilitating targeted research into their molecular mechanisms. Full article

Consumer demand for high-quality products, combined with expectations for more sustainable production systems and animal welfare, is driving major changes in livestock farming practices. It is known that space allowance plays a central role in pig welfare, promoting resting and reducing the incidence of injuries and stress-related behaviors; however, there is little scientific evidence on the effect that available space has on the carcass and meat quality. In this study, space allowances were compared, in both an indoor conventional system (1.15, 1.9 and 3 m²/pig) and an indoor organic system with outdoor access (1.4 + 1, 2.6 + 2 and 3.9 + 3 m²/pig). The increase in space available for pigs had no effect on pig performance, carcass and meat quality characteristics, such as pH, drip and cooking loss. However, lowering stocking density in the conventional indoor housing system improved meat tenderness, as assessed by the Slice Shear Force test, while no difference was found between meat tenderness in organic pigs raised with three different stocking densities. Increased space allowance per pig reduced n-3 fatty acids in pig loins from both housing systems and n-6 fatty acids and PUFAs in loins from pigs reared in the organic housing system with both indoor and outdoor space. Full article

This study evaluated the effects of dietary probiotic-fermented corn wet distillers grains (FCWDGs) on finishing pigs. Three Bacillus subtilis strains (CGMCC21218, CCTCC2022073, and CICC10275) were used to ferment corn wet distillers grains, yielding FCWDGs-1, FCWDGs-2, and FCWDGs-3. A total of 128 130-day-old Anqing six white pigs were randomly assigned to four groups: a control group and groups supplemented with 6% FCWDGs-1 (T1), FCWDGs-2 (T2), and FCWDGs-3 (T3). Over a 60-day trial, FCWDGs significantly enhanced growth performance, with T1 and T3 groups showing higher final weight and average daily gain (ADG) compared to the control (p < 0.05), and feed-to-gain ratios were reduced in all treatments (p < 0.05). Loin muscle depth (LMD) was significantly greater in all treatments (p < 0.05), and the lean meat percentage (LMP) was significantly higher in the T1 group (p < 0.05). Antioxidant activity (T-AOC, SOD, and GSH-Px) was enhanced in all treatments, with the highest values observed in the T1 group (p < 0.05). Notably, FCWDGs reduced heavy-metal residues (As, Pb, Cu) in muscle, liver, and kidney tissues, particularly in the T1 group. The results highlight the potential of Bacillus subtilis-fermented FCWDGs to enhance growth performance and carcass traits, and reduce heavy metal accumulation in pig tissues. Full article

The size of the gluteus medius muscle (GM) in swine significantly impacts both hindlimb conformation and carcass yield, while little is known about the genetic architecture of this trait. This study aims to estimate genetic parameters and identify candidate genes associated with this trait through a genome-wide association study (GWAS). A total of 439 commercial crossbred pigs, possessing both Landrace and Yorkshire ancestry, were genotyped using the Porcine 50K chip. The length and width of the GM were directly measured, and the area was then calculated from these values. The heritabilities were estimated by HIBLUP (V1.5.0) software, and the GWAS was conducted employing the BLINK model implemented in GAPIT3. The heritability estimates for the length, width, and area of the GM were 0.43, 0.40, and 0.46, respectively. The GWAS identified four genome-wide significant SNPs (rs81381267, rs697734475, rs81298447, and rs81458910) associated with the gluteus medius muscle area. The PDE4D gene was identified as a promising candidate gene potentially involved in the regulation of gluteus medius muscle development. Our analysis revealed moderate heritability estimates for gluteus medius muscle size traits. These findings enhance our understanding of the genetic architecture underlying porcine muscle development. Full article

Pork is a major global source of animal protein, and improving both its production efficiency and meat quality is a central goal in modern animal agriculture and food systems. This study investigated post-inflection-point growth patterns in two genetically distinct pig breeds—the lean-type Yorkshire pig (YP) and the fatty-type Qingyu pig (QYP)—with the aim of elucidating breed-specific characteristics that influence pork quality and yield. Comprehensive evaluations of carcass traits, meat quality attributes, nutritional composition, and gene expression profiles were conducted. After the growth inflection point, carcass traits exhibited greater variability than meat quality traits in both breeds, though with distinct patterns. YPs displayed superior muscle development, with the longissimus muscle area (LMA) increasing rapidly before plateauing at ~130 kg, whereas QYPs maintained more gradual but sustained muscle growth. In contrast, intramuscular fat (IMF)—a key determinant of meat flavor and texture—accumulated faster in YPs post inflection but plateaued earlier in QYPs. Correlation and clustering analyses revealed more synchronized regulation of meat quality traits in QYPs, while YPs showed greater trait variability. Gene expression patterns aligned with these phenotypic trends, highlighting distinct regulatory mechanisms for muscle and fat development in each breed. In addition, based on the growth curves, we calculated the peak age at which the growth rate declined in lean-type and fat-type pigs, which was approximately 200 days for YPs and around 270 days for QYPs. This suggests that these ages may represent the optimal slaughter times for the respective breeds, balancing both economic efficiency and meat quality. These findings provide valuable insights for enhancing pork quality through precision management and offer theoretical guidance for developing breed-specific feeding strategies, slaughter timing, and value-added pork production tailored to consumer preferences in the modern food market. Full article

Dietary bitter compounds such as caffeine have the potential to reduce backfat in pigs. However, the use of caffeine as a feed additive has restrictions in many countries. It was hypothesised that grape seed and gentian plant extracts (GG) could replace caffeine in feed due to their bitterness and antiadipogenic effects. The effect of caffeine (0.5 g/kg), GG (2 g/kg) alone or in combination with caffeine (BM) at increasing concentrations (0.5, 1, 1.5, or 2 g/kg) on feed efficiency, carcass, and meat quality was assessed in finishing pigs (Large White × Landrace). Growth performance and carcass traits were evaluated at a pen level (n = 14). Loins (longissimus thoracis) were removed from eight pig/treatment at the abattoir to assess drip loss, lightness (L*), redness (a*), yellowness (b*), chroma (C*), hue angle (h°), pH, cook loss, and shear force. A linear increase (p < 0.05) in loin a*, b*, and C* values and a linear decrease (p < 0.05) in ADFI, ADG, backfat, dressing percentage, and HSCW were observed with increasing BM levels. At 1.5 g/kg, BM increased the loins a* (p < 0.05), b* (p < 0.05) and C* values (p < 0.05) compared to the control. Twenty-two proteins related to energy metabolism and myofibril assembly were identified to be upregulated (FDR < 0.05) in BM vs. control loins. In conclusion, GG could be used in combination with low doses of caffeine to modulate appetite and carcass leanness and improve pork colour. Full article

The intergenic SNP (single-nucleotide polymorphism) rs80860411A>C was identified as a major QTL for drip loss measured on semimembranosus muscle (SM) in pigs. The SNP is located near the GALNT15. The purpose of this study was to analyze the association between rs80860411A>C and fattening, slaughter, and quality traits of Polish pigs. This study was conducted on 235 individuals belonging to two breeds, Polish Large White (n = 187) and Pulawska (n = 48). The rs80860411 genotypes were determined using the PCR-RFLP method. Association analysis was performed for each breed separately. It was shown that rs80860411A>C had a significant effect on fattening performance traits, on several slaughter performance traits, including width of the loin eye and carcass meat content (p ≤ 0.01, p ≤ 0.05), as well as on meat color—redness (a*) (p ≤ 0,05) in Pulawska breed. The obtained results indicate that the studied SNP has the potential to be a QTN and could be included in pig selection programs, especially in Pulawska pigs. Full article

Carcass and meat quality traits are critical in pig breeding and production. Estimating genetic parameters for these traits is a vital aspect of breeding engineering, as accurate genetic parameters are essential for estimating breeding values, predicting genetic progress, and optimizing breeding programs. This study was conducted on a population of 461 Yorkshire pigs from the same breeding farm, which were slaughtered to assess nine carcass traits and seven meat quality traits, followed by descriptive statistical analysis. Additionally, we estimated the genetic parameters of these traits using genomic information based on 50K chip data. The results indicated that sex significantly affected most carcass and meat quality traits. Carcass traits including carcass length indicators (h² = mean 0.35), backfat thickness indicators (h² = mean 0.36), eye muscle area (h² = 0.28), and the number of rib pairs (h² = 0.28) exhibited medium to high heritability. Carcass length indicators showed high genetic correlations with backfat thickness indicators (r = mean −0.49) and the number of rib pairs (r = mean 0.63), while high negative genetic correlation (r = −0.72) was noted between eye muscle area and the number of rib pairs. Meat quality traits also displayed medium to high heritability, expect for pH value measured within one hour post-slaughter (h² = 0.12). Drip loss indicators had higher genetic correlations with pH (r = mean −0.73) than with meat color indicators (r = mean 0.22). These findings may provide a theoretical reference for genetic evaluation and breeding in the Yorkshire pig population. Full article

Background/Objectives: Lawsonia intracellularis is a bacterium that causes Proliferative Enteropathy, an enteric infection characterized mainly by diarrhea and growth retardation, leading to important economic losses. Acute and chronic infections are easily diagnosed, and their control by vaccination has been proven efficacious. However, subclinical infections, despite being very prevalent, often remain underdiagnosed and uncontrolled in practice. Scarce research is available on the control of subclinical infections by vaccination, and the benefit in these scenarios remains to be elucidated. Two field trials were carried out to (1) determine the association between the growth and fecal shedding of L. intracellularis in unvaccinated and intramuscularly vaccinated pigs in a farm with subclinical infection and (2) assess the impact of intradermal vaccination against L. intracellularis on clinical performance and carcass quality in a herd with subclinical infection. Methods: A pig herd with subclinical infection was selected. Pigs were vaccinated intramuscularly (study 1) or intradermally (study 2) at weaning. Fecal shedding, performance, clinical parameters, and carcass quality were investigated. Results: Growth was negatively associated with the fecal load of L. intracellularis in non-vaccinated pigs, whereas in vaccinated pigs, growth performance was not impacted by fecal load (study 1). Vaccinated pigs presented a significantly lower fecal load, lower prevalence of tail biting (31.7%) compared with controls (54.2%), less back fat, and a greater Lean Meat percentage (study 2). Conclusions: Vaccination against L. intracellularis in a herd with subclinical infection and low fecal bacterial shedding led to a reduction in fecal shedding, a lower prevalence of tail biting, and an improvement in carcass quality. Full article

This study evaluated the effects of fermented banana agro-waste silage (BAWS) in finishing diets for KHAPS pigs (Duroc × MeiShan hybrid). BAWS was produced via 30 days of anaerobic fermentation of disqualified banana fruit, pseudostem, and wheat bran, doubling crude protein content and generating short-chain fatty acids, as indicated by a satisfactory Flieg’s score. Thirty-six pigs were assigned to control (0%), 5%, or 10% BAWS diets formulated to meet NRC nutritional guidelines. Over a 70-day period, BAWS inclusion caused no detrimental effects on growth performance, carcass traits, or meat quality; a transient decline in early-stage weight gain and feed efficiency occurred in the 10% group, while BAWS-fed pigs demonstrated reduced backfat thickness and increased lean area. Fore gut microbiome analysis revealed reduced Lactobacillus and elevated Clostridium sensu stricto 1, Terrisporobacter, Streptococcus, and Prevotella, suggesting enhanced fiber and carbohydrate fermentation capacity. Predictive COG (clusters of orthologous groups)-based functional profiling showed increased abundance of proteins associated with carbohydrate transport (COG2814, COG0561, COG0765) and stress-response regulation (COG2207). These results support BAWS as a sustainable feed ingredient that maintains production performance and promotes fore gut microbial adaptation, with implications for microbiota-informed nutrition and stress resilience in swine. Full article

This study represents the first report on the detection and whole-genome sequencing of African swine fever (ASF) viruses in wild boar in Hong Kong in 2021–2023. Wild boar samples collected via an ASF surveillance program by the Agriculture, Fisheries, and Conservation Department were tested for ASF viruses (ASFVs) using real-time polymerase chain reaction. ASF-positive carcasses were detected in four cases and hemadsorption, virus isolation, and whole-genome sequencing were conducted. The B646L gene, E183L gene, central variable region within the B602L gene, intergenic region between the I73R and I329L genes, EP420R gene, and multigene family members of the four ASFV strains were compared. The whole-genome phylogenetic relationships were studied. The comparative analysis of the genomes indicates that the ASFVs in these four cases have genetic similarities to Asian genotype II ASFVs, but are genetically distinct from each other, as well as the ASFV previously identified in a domestic pig farm in Hong Kong in 2021. Full article

Crude protein, as a traditional standard for characterizing dietary nitrogen content, fails to reflect protein bioavailability. Digestible protein (DP) emphasizes the importance of total available proteins and offers better adaptability in low-protein diversified diets. The objective of this study was to establish and validate the digestible protein (DP) requirement for 80–110 kg finishing pigs (Duroc × Yorkshire × Landrace). In Experiment 1, 450 pigs were fed diets with graded DP levels (8.82–11.26%). Linear and quadratic regression models identified 9.55% DP as the optimal level, optimizing average daily gain and feed efficiency (R² ≥ 0.94). Experiment 2 validated this requirement using three diet treatments and 270 pigs: high-protein traditional, low-protein traditional, and low-protein diversified. No significant differences were observed in growth performance, carcass traits, or meat quality among diets, confirming the robustness of 9.55% DP across formulations. Plasma urea nitrogen and total amino acids increased linearly with DP (p < 0.05), while hepatic transcriptomics revealed immune and metabolic partial impairments in high-protein traditional diet pigs, which may be linked to nitrogen overload. Muscle tissues from different treatment groups showed minimal transcriptional differences, emphasizing efficient protein utilization when amino acid requirements are met. This study demonstrates that 9.55% DP, combined with balanced amino acids, supports productivity in both traditional and diversified diets, reducing reliance on resource-intensive feed ingredients. These findings advocate for DP as a precise metric in swine production, thereby promoting sustainable development. Full article