[Effects of H-FABP gene polymorphisms and nutritional factors on pork quality]

Pork quality is affected by both genetic and nutritional factors. However, few researches focused simultaneously on the effects of these two kinds of factors. In order to study the co-effects of these two kinds of factors simultaneously, we implemented this experiment, 136 PIC hybrid pigs with about 65 kg body weight were randomly divided into 4 groups; each group was fed with a different kind of rations. After 35 days of feeding, the pigs were slaughtered at about 95 kg body weight and the pork quality was evaluated. Then the polymorphism of H-FABP gene was analyzed and an association analysis was conducted. The results are as follows: (1) feed ingredient has very significant effect on meat color (MC), pH24, intramuscular fat (IMF, %), and intramuscular protein (IMP, %); (2) H-FABP gene polymorphism has very significant effect on IMF (%) and IMP (%); (3) the interaction between gene and feed ingredient has significant effect on pH and IMF (%), and pH and IMF (%) were the highest for AA genotype in group 0 and group 1, respectively. These results suggest that both genetic and nutritional factors should be concerned in the improvement of pork quality.