Evolution of meat quality of black pigs with the age of slaughter

In order to study the productive aspects and the meat’s chemico-nutritional quality and the acidic composition of fat from Black pigs of Basilicata in different ages, there were used 12 animals from which 4 slaughtered at 9 months, 4 at 12months and 4 at 15 months of age. All animals were reared at indoor conditions and fed with the same feed. From the obtained results, it can be seen that the slaughtering age has a positive effect on the final live body weights, always more in those older animals (165,33 kg vs 140,8 kg and 116,5 kg), on carcasses’ weight, on carcasses’ conformation, on the composition of carcasses’ cuts, on slaughtering yields, always lower in pigs of 9 months. Moreover, raw meat at 3 days from the slaughter of 15 months of age pigs, apart from presenting a higher (P<0,01) and significant pH (6,58 vs 5,16 e 5,14), in comparison with those younger (12 and 9 months), is certainly (P<0,01 and/or P<0,05) redder (7,11 vs 5,35 and 3,03), less hardy (2,27 kgf/cm2 vs 2,86 kgf/cm2 and 3,30 kgf/cm2) and more resistant; while, the cooked meat of 12 months of age animals is certainly (P< 0,01) less hard (2,22 kgf/cm2 vs 2,85 kgf/cm2 and 2,38 kgf/cm2), more watery and poorer in fat (1,43% vs 2,92% and 1,80%). In general, as far as regards the fat of cooked meat, it seems that this of younger animals presents certainly (P<0,05) a higher quantity of SFA (39,78% vs 38,10% and 36,37%) lower percentage of MUFA (47,22% vs 50,90% and 50,07%), a higher percentage of UFA and a ratio of ω6/ω3 less (P<0,01) favorable, fact that it affirms also in cooked meat. In principal and as it is already reported, it can be concluded that the most appropriate slaughtering age is this of 15 months.