Variation factors in organic and conventional pig carcass production

Authors

  • Immaculada Argemí-Armengol Universitat de Lleida
  • Daniel Villalba-Mata Universitat de Lleida
  • Javier Álvarez-Rodríguez Universitat de Lleida

Keywords:

pigs, husbandry system, carcass traits, skin damage.

Abstract

This paper aims to examine the effects of the husbandry system (conventional vs. organic), season (summer vs. autumn), gender (castrates vs. females) and genetic type (0 to 75% Duroc genes) on different variables of pig carcasses (carcass weight, lumbar and dorsal back-fat thickness, lean content, and income), and the prevalence of skin lesions and condemnations at the abattoir. The study was conducted over 12 days from June to November 2016 in a Catalan abattoir. 6,540 pig carcasses were examined from conventional (n=4,707) and organic farming (n=1,833), from 24 different suppliers. Organic husbandry increased lumbar back-fat thickness and, consequently, reduced lean content in summer compared to the autumn season (all P<0.001). Duroc genes had a positive effect on live weight (P=0.02) and back-fat thickness (P<0.001). Back-fat thickness was greater in summer and in castrates (P<0.001). Skin lesions in organic husbandry tended to be lower (P=0.08) but liver condemnations were greater in organic than in conventional husbandry (relative risk=5.98). In addition, there was a lower risk of skin lesions, and liver and lung condemnation in summer than in
autumn. Collectively, these results were also mostly affected by the possible repetition of the random effect of the supplier.

Keywords: pigs, husbandry system, carcass traits, skin damage.

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Issue

No. 48: juny 2020

Section

Articles

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