LInear measurements of carcases of the Myrhorod breed pigs
Authors: Tsereniuk Oleksandr , Akimov Oleksandr , Chereuta Yuriy , Babic Marek , Kropiwiec-Domanska Kinga 
Published: August 2024

Objective. To evaluate the dependence of carcass characteristics of pigs of the Myrhorod breed on the starting capabilities of animals in the neonatal period of development. Methods. Three groups of pigs were formed, differing among themselves in the number of piglets in the litter at birth. For the purpose of comparative assessment, indexes for three groups as a whole were also determined. Young boars were selectedfor fattening and further slaughter. All piglets were received in one period, had free access to feed in accordance with the needs of sex and age groups. This stage of research was conducted at the experimental base of Institute of Pig Breeding and AIP NAAS. The main measurements of pig carcasses were taken at the meat processing plant of "Prodfoodservice" LLC in Poltava. Animals with a live weight of 100 kg were selected for the assessment. General rules were followed for the assessment of pig carcasses. The topography of fat deposition on the carcass was determined by the following points of taking measurements of the thickness of lard with skin: at the withers; at the level of 6 - 7 thoracic vertebrae; on the waist; on the crosses in three points; at chest level. The formula proposed by N. V. Pivniak was used to determine the average thickness of lard along the spine (watering of the carcass). To compare animals of different groups of pigs of the Myrhorod breed, the full meatiness index (FMI) was calculated. The research results were processed using the traditional method of variational statistics. Results. The differences between the different groups were insignificant in relation to the girth of the sternum. According to the latitudinal parameters of the bacon half of the carcass, there were also no significant differences between different groups of pigs, with a slight shift of preference towards the third group. Regarding the ratio of the front to the back parts of the bacon halves, the smallest values were found in the animals of the second group, and the largest in the first group. Regarding the determination of fat thickness at different points of taking measurements, a clear picture regarding the superiority of a certain group was not determined, although according to most indexes, the carcasses of animals of the first group were marked by larger actual measurements. The animals of all three groups did not meet the requirements for the first extra and the second category of pigs for slaughter according to the fat thickness index at the level of 6 - 7 thoracic vertebrae. All evaluated carcasses were assigned to the third category, which corresponds to the type of productivity of Myrhorod breed of pigs. According to the comprehensive assessment of carcass watering, the highest values were obtainedfor the first group, the average values for the second group, and the smallest values for the third group, respectively. The opposite picture was observed for the full meatiness index, although differences in this index were also unlikely. By comparing the main and most important indexes of the linear diameters of the carcasses of three different groups with the same indexes for all evaluated animals, the animals of the third group were the closest to the average values in relation to the front to the back parts of the bacon halves, the thickness of the lard at the level of the 6 - 7th thoracic vertebrae. At the same time, the animals of the second group were the closest to the average values according to the full meatiness index. Conclusions. As a result of the conducted research, it was found that there is no dependence of meatiness indexes, quality characteristics ofpig carcasses, and in particular, their salinity, etc. from the starting capabilities of animals in the neonatal period of development. Non-compliance with the requirements for the first extra and second categories of pigs for slaughter was found, which indicates that the productivity of the new generation of animals of the Myrhorod breed still belongs to animals of universal and fatty genotypes, although the carcasses according to the lard thickness index are at the level of 6 - 7 thoracic vertebrae were at the lower limit of the third category of pigs for slaughter. Keywords: pigs, Myrhorod breed, slaughter qualities, pig carcasses, lard, meatiness, watering of carcasses.