Content uploaded by Frank Rowland Dunshea
Author content
All content in this area was uploaded by Frank Rowland Dunshea on Aug 10, 2015
Content may be subject to copyright.
14 Manipulating Pig Production X
Pig housing affects the fatty acid profile of back fat and belly
fat in growing pigs
M. Trezona*, B.P. Mullan*, J.R. Pluske**, D.W. Pethick**, F.R. Dunshea*** and D.N. D’Souza*
*Department of Agriculture, South Perth, WA 6151. **Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150. ***Department of
Primary Industries, Werribee, Vic. 3030.
The fatty acid composition of pig tissue is largely a refl ection of the fatty acid pattern of the diet, however age
and ambient temperature can also have an effect. Meat quality attributes are infl uenced by the fatty acid composition of
subcutaneous, intermuscular and intramuscular fat. Fatty acid concentration infl uences the fi rmness of the fat, which
in turn affects the appearance and cutting of fresh and processed pork (Tume and D’Souza, 1999). In addition, fat
colour and fl avour can be affected by the fatty acid profi le. Lambooij et al. (2004) investigated the effects of housing
conditions on pork quality characteristics and concluded that differences in pork quality can be substantial when
differences in housing conditions are large. In this study we hypothesised that the environmental differences between
conventional and deep litter housing would affect the fatty acid profi le of pig fat tissue and that these differences may
infl uence carcass quality and eating quality.
One hundred and fi fty two Large White x Landrace female pigs were stratifi ed at weaning by weight into
two housing treatments, conventional or deep-litter. Within each treatment, eight pigs were selected randomly as
sample pigs. Pigs were phase-fed the same commercial, cereal-based diets ad libitum. At 24 weeks of age, pigs were
slaughtered in a commercial abattoir. Fat was collected from the hot carcass at the dorsal midline in line with the last
rib (subcutaneous back fat) and from the ventral midline in line with the last rib (belly) and stored at minus 80
o
C until
fatty acid profi les were determined via gas chromatography. Data were analysed by ANOVA using Genstat v6.
Table 1. Effect of housing on fatty acid proportions in subcutaneous and belly fat of 24-week old gilts.
Subcutaneous back fat Belly
C DL lsd
1
P C DL lsd
1
P
C12:0 (%) 0.090 0.104 0.001 0.019 0.108 0.120 0.013 0.062
C14:0 (%) 1.49 1.67 0.152 0.022 1.72 1.90 0.177 0.048
C16:0 (%) 24.51 25.08 1.121 0.298 25.86 26.75 0.900 0.052
C16:1 (%) 2.41 2.98 0.636 0.074 3.28 3.61 0.722 0.350
C17:0 (%) 0.573 0.432 0.067 <.001 0.459 0.383 0.095 0.108
C18:0 (%) 13.22 12.78 1.592 0.568 12.38 12.64 1.29 0.676
C18:3n3 (%) 1.320 1.392 0.191 0.432 1.115 1.191 0.271 0.559
Saturated (%) 40.71 40.93 2.57 0.853 41.35 42.66 1.904 0.161
Unsaturated (%) 59.29 59.07 2.576 0.853 58.65 57.34 1.904 0.161
Sat:Unsat 0.688 0.696 0.073 0.831 0.707 0.745 0.056 0.173
1
LSD = Least signifi cant difference
Housing treatment did not affect the percentage of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids or their ratio (Table
1). Belly fat had higher (P<0.005) levels of 12:0, 14:0, 16:0, 16:1 and 17:0 than back fat, however the overall percentage
of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, as well as the ratio between the two, did not differ between sites (P>0.05). The
back fat and belly fat of pigs housed conventionally, had signifi cantly lower percentages of 12:0 (lauric), 14:0 (myristic),
16:0 (palmitic) and 16:1 (palmitoleic) than pigs housed on deep litter and higher levels of 17:0 (margaric). Myristic,
palmitic and palmitoleic acids have been positively associated with fi rmer fat and palmitoleic acid has also been positively
associated with pork fl avour, fl avour liking and overall acceptability. Increased fat yellowness has been associated with
reduced levels of palmitic and palmitoleic acids (Maw et al., 2003). The results indicate that there is a difference in the
fatty acid profi les of the back fat and belly fat of pigs raised either conventionally or in deep-litter systems. The fatty acids
that differ contribute to aspects of fat quality such as fi rmness, fl avour and colour. The results suggest that the effect of
housing on fat characteristics may result in differences in carcass fat quality for pigs raised conventionally or on deep litter.
References
LAMBOOIJ, E., HULSEGGE, B., KLONT, R.E., WINKELMAN-GOEDHART, H.A., REIMERT, H.G.M. and KRANEN,
R.W. (2004). Meat Science 66: 855-862.
MAW, S.J., FOWLER, V.R., HAMILTON, M. and PETCHEY, A.M. (2003). Meat Science 63: 185-190.
TUME, R. and D’SOUZA, DN. (1999). A review of the impact of carcass fat properties on pork quality.
Pig Research Report. A fi nal report prepared for the Pig R&D Corporation, Australia. FSA 4/1377.
