Breed Characteristics of Indigenous Pigs in Okinawa :Growth Performance, Carcass Traits and Meat Quality

Abstract

Agu, a relatively small-bodied pig with a black coat, is indigenous to Okinawa, the south-ernmost island in Japan. The objective of this study was to evaluate growth, carcass and meat quality traits of Agu pigs and to elucidate breed characteristics. A total of 16 Agu pigs and 18 LWD three-way cross pigs (Duroc sires×F1 dams ; Landrace×Large White) were fed a commercial diet ad libitum at 70 kg and slaughtered at 110 kg. Daily gain, dressing percentage and the area of the Longissimus dorsi muscle (LM) were significantly lower in Agu than in LWD pigs at the same body weight. Agu pigs had much thicker backfat than the LWD pigs at the same finishing body weight. The content of intra-muscular fat (IMF) was significantly higher in Agu than in LWD pigs. Though raw Agu meat had lower water holding capacity, cooked meat had lower cooking loss and higher pressed juice percentage than LWD meat. Moreover, the inner layer of Agu backfat contained a higher proportion of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), a lower proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and had a lower melting point. The results revealed that Agu pigs had meat characteristics different from those of LWD pigs that are a common crossbred in commercial production.