Identification of Association between Quantity and Quality Traits by Sex for Increasing Income of Pig Farmers

Abstract

This study was carried out to identify the influence of meat quantity trait variable on meat quality trait variable depending on sex. There was a significant difference between castration and female in most meat trait parameters. Back-fat thickness (BFT) in castration was significantly thicker than that of female (P<0.05). In addition, meat quantity trait variables were 53.6% correlation with meat quality variables using canonical correlation analysis. Furthermore, BFT had more influence on the linear combination of meat quality trait variables than carcass weight (CW) irrespective of castration and female. Especially, BFT maintained a positive relationship with fat content and drip loss in the meat quantity trait variable set, but had a negative correlation with water holding capacity, collagen content, moisture content, protein content, cooking loss and shear force. Ministry of agriculture, food and rural affairs makes the first grade determination based on the pig carcass weight and back-fat thickness. The highest grade, the grade 1+, is based on pig scalding, with a carcass weight of 83-93 kg and a back-fat thickness of 17-25 mm. Therefore, since pig grading is based on CW and BFT as the primary criterion, it is very important to obtain a high grade through proper management of CW and BFT to increase income of pig farmers.