Weight and ascorbic acid content of the adrenal glands in pigs

The weight and ascorbic acid (AA) content of the adrenal glands was measured in pigs with carcase weights ranging from about 10 to 100 kg. Appropriate conditions for the removal and storage of glands without loss of AA were also investigated. No AA was lost from adrenals kept at 4 degrees C for 24 hours after removal and frozen glands could be stored for six weeks at -14 degrees C with no loss of AA. Resting in lairage for 16 hours before slaughter was sufficient time to allow recovery of adrenal AA depleted by stress. No significant differences were found between Large White and Large White cross Landrace pigs for adrenal weight or AA content, however, the pure bred animals tended to have slightly lighter adrenals. In 86.2 per cent of pigs the left gland was heavier than the right and on average left glands were 10.9 per cent heavier. AA concentration was 5.6 per cent higher in the right glands. The concentration of AA remained more or less constant with increasing body size while the relative adrenal gland weight decreased.