The increase of slaughter weight in gilts as a strategy to optimize the production of Spanish high quality dry-cured ham.

Crossbred pigs (n=120) from Duroc sires mated to Landrace x Large White dams, with a mean BW of 110.5+/-2.3 kg, were used to investigate the effect of increasing the slaughter weight of gilts with regard to that of the barrows on the production of high quality dry-cured hams from Spain (Teruel ham). There were 3 treatments: barrows slaughtered at 130 kg of BW (B), gilts slaughtered at 130 kg of BW (G1), and gilts slaughtered at 134 kg of BW (G2). Growth performance was similar for G1 and G2, and both consumed less feed (P<0.001) and had less BW gain (P<0.05) and better G:F (P<0.01) than B. Also, the B treatment showed thicker backfat (P<0.001) and covering fat over the gluteus medius (GM) muscle (P<0.05) than G1 or G2, but no differences in carcass fat were detected between G1 and G2. Loin and ham yields were similar for B and G2, and both were less than those for G1 (P<0.01). Treatment did not affect the proportion of carcasses with a minimum weight of 84 kg, but the percentage of carcasses with a minimum fat depth over the GM muscle of 18 mm and the percentage of carcasses that fulfill both requirements (as required for the Teruel ham trademark) were less for G1 than for B or G2 (P<0.001). Meat from B had greater (P<0.05) intramuscular fat content than meat from G1 with loin from G2 being intermediate. Thawing losses of the loins were greater (P<0.05) for B than for G2 with loins from G1 being intermediate. Shear force value was greater for meat from G1 than for that from G2 with meat from B being intermediate (P<0.05). Fat over the GM muscle from the B treatment was more saturated and had decreased PUFA/SFA ratio than that from G1 with fat from G2 being intermediate (P<0.001). Also, backfat from the B treatment showed decreased (P<0.01) PUFA proportion than backfat from G1 or G2. We conclude that increasing the slaughter weight of gilts by 4 kg with respect to that of barrows optimized the 2 criteria used for the selection of carcasses destined for the production of Teruel ham.

The effects of sex and slaughter weight on growth performance and carcass traits of pigs intended for dry-cured ham from Teruel (Spain).

Crossbred pigs (n = 200) from Duroc sires mated to Landrace x Large White dams, with a mean BW of 107.0 +/- 2.4 kg and intended for highquality dry-cured hams (Teruel ham) from Spain, were used to investigate the effects of sex (barrows and gilts) and slaughter weight (SW; 120, 125, 130, 135, and 140 kg of BW) on growth performance and carcass characteristics. For productive performance, there were 5 treatments based on 5 SW; each treatment was replicated 4 times and the replicate was a pen made up of 5 barrows and 5 gilts allotted together. For carcass traits, there were 10 treatments based on 2 sexes and 5 SW; each treatment was replicated 20 times and the replicate was a carcass. Barrows had fatter carcasses (P < 0.001) and wider hams (P < 0.01) but a lower yield of trimmed shoulder (P < 0.05), loin (P < 0.001), and ham (P < 0.001) than gilts. Also, castrates tended to show a greater proportion of final suitable carcasses for Teruel ham (P < 0.10) than females because more barrows than gilts fulfilled the minimum requirement of carcass weight and fat thickness in the gluteus medius (GM) muscle (P < 0.01). An increase in SW tended to decrease ADG and G:F (P < 0.10). In addition, dressing percentage, fat, and dimensions of carcass and ham increased as SW increased (P < 0.001). Although the weight of trimmed primal cuts (shoulder, loin, and ham) increased with SW, the yield of trimmed loin or ham decreased (P < 0.01). The proportion of final suitable carcasses for Teruel ham improved as SW increased up to 130 kg of BW but not thereafter (P < 0.001) because of an increase in percentage carcasses that fulfilled the minimum carcass and ham weight (P < 0.001) and fat in GM (P < 0.05). We can conclude that barrows were better than gilts when intended for Teruel ham. Furthermore, an increase in SW up to 130 kg in pigs impaired growth performance but improved some aspects of carcass quality that are required by the Teruel ham industry.