Blood parameters, carcass and meat quality of slaughter pigs with and without liver milk spots

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of liver milk spots on hematological, carcass and meat quality parameters in slaughter pigs. A total of 120 pigs with a live weight of approximately 115 kg and six months old were examined. Any signs of liver milk spots were recorded as present or absent according to Welfare Quality® protocol (2009). A complete blood picture was investigated. The following carcass quality parameters were measured: live, hot and cold carcass weights, dressing percentage, backfat thickness and meatiness. pH and temperature measurements were performed 45 minutes postmortem. Pork quality classes (PSE - pale, soft and exudative, normal, DFD - dark, firm and dry meat) were determined according to Adzitey and Nurul (2011) using pH45 value. Pigs with liver milk spots had significantly higher middle-sized cell count (monocytes, eosinophils, and basophils) and neutrophils count, but significantly lower red blood cell count, hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit and MCV than unaffected pigs. The same group of pigs had significantly lower live weight, hot carcass weight, cold carcass weight, dressing percentage and meatiness compared to the pigs free of milk spot lesions. Pigs showing liver milk spots had significantly higher pH45 value and incidence of DFD meat than pigs without pathological lesions in the livers. In conclusion, assessment of liver milk spots at slaughter line has potential to serve not only as an indirect measure of pig health and welfare, but also for the carcass and pork quality.

Cilj istraživanja bio je da se utvrdi uticaj prisustva mlečnih pega na hematološke parametre, kvalitet trupa i mesa svinja. Ispitivanja su obavljena na 120 svinja, starosti šest meseci, žive mase oko 115 kg. Prisustvo mlečnih pega na jetri svinja je ocenjivano na liniji klanja na osnovu Welfare Quality® (2009) protokola. Pored toga, analizirana je i kompletna krvna slika. U cilju utvrđivanja kvaliteta trupa, analizirani su sledeći parametri: živa masa, masa toplog i hladnog trupa, randman, debljina leđne slanine i mesnatost. Od parametara kvaliteta mesa određivani su pH vrednost i temperatura 45 minuta post-mortem. Meso svinja je razvrstavano u klase kvaliteta (bledo meko vodenasto-BMV; meso normalnog kvaliteta; tamno, čvrsto i suvo meso-TČS) na osnovu pH vrednosti merene 45 minuta post-mortem (Adzitey i Nurul, 2011). Analizom hematoloških parametara utvrđeno je da su svinje sa mlečnim pegama na jetri imale statistički značajno veće vrednosti monocita, eozinofila, bazofila i neutrofila, dok su vrednosti za broj eritrocita, koncentraciju hemoglobina, hematokrit i MCV bile statistički značajno niže u odnosu na svinje bez promena na jetri. Svinje sa mlečnim pegama na jetri imale su statistički značajno nižu živu masu, masu toplog i hladnog trupa, randman i mesnatost u odnosu na svinje bez mlečnih pega na jetri. Ista grupa svinja je imala statistički značajno višu pH vrednost kao i učestalost pojave TČS mesa. Stoga se može zaključiti da ispitivanje prisustva mlečnih pega na jetri na liniji klanja može da bude značajan pokazatelj ne samo dobrobiti svinja na farmi, već i kvaliteta trupa i mesa svinja.