Rearing hogs on pasture minimally impacts pork composition

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Food Science
• Sustainable Agriculture

Background:

• Consumer and producer interest in pasture-raised swine is growing, driven by perceived benefits in animal welfare, environmental sustainability, and lower initial costs.
• However, there is a lack of scientific evidence to guide pasture management for optimal pork production and environmental practices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantitatively assess the effects of pasture (outdoor) versus indoor housing on pig growth efficiency and pork quality.
• To provide evidence-based insights into the impact of different rearing environments on swine production.

Main Methods:

• A pilot study involving 20 pigs, divided equally into indoor and outdoor housing groups.
• Pigs were monitored for growth every 14 days until reaching an average slaughter weight of 113 kg.
• Carcass quality was assessed through measurements of pH, loin eye area (LEA), back fat (BF) thickness, and subjective/objective color and marbling evaluations.

Main Results:

• No significant differences were found in final body weight or key pork quality parameters, including pH, LEA, subjective color, and marbling scores, between indoor and outdoor groups.
• Pigs housed indoors exhibited a statistically significant increase in back fat (BF) thickness compared to those raised outdoors.
• The study found no significant impact of outdoor rearing conditions on overall pork quality in this pilot investigation.

Conclusions:

• Pasture rearing for swine, in this pilot study, did not adversely affect critical pork quality attributes.
• Indoor housing was associated with increased back fat thickness, warranting further investigation.
• Additional research is needed to fully elucidate the long-term effects of rearing systems on swine growth efficiency, pH, and back fat deposition.