Slaughter value and pork quality traits in primiparous sows nursing a different number of piglets

The study involved 70 sows slaughtered after the first farrowing. The carcass dressing percentage and the percentage content of primal cuts in the carcass were evaluated. Samples of m. longissimus dorsi were taken to determine the chemical composition and the physicochemical and sensory properties of the pork. Primiparous sows were divided into five groups, based on the number of piglets they had nursed, i.e. from 11 to 13 piglets, 10 piglets, 9 piglets, 8 piglets, and from 4 to 7 piglets. It was found that among sows culled after the first farrowing a higher carcass dressing percentage and a higher percentage content of neck and loin in the carcass can be expected in those nursing a lower number of piglets (up to 8). An analysis of the pork quality revealed a similar content of chemical components. Only the mineral content of the carcass was lower in the group of sows that had nursed the fewest piglets. Meat from sows that had nursed fewer piglets was characterized by a higher water-holding capacity, a brighter color and a lower aroma intensity, and it received higher scores for juiciness and palatability.