Data paper: Body composition during growth determined with computed tomography, carcass and meat quality, and fatty acid composition of pigs from different sex types

Abstract

Productive and body composition data from 47 Pietrain × (Landrace × Duroc) pigs from four sexual types (11 entire males, and 12 immunocastrated males, 12 surgically castrated males and 12 females) during growth are provided (Group 1). They were slaughtered at a 120 kg target BW (TBW). Additionally, 45 pigs were reared and slaughtered at 30, 70 and 100 kg TBW (Group 2). Pigs of Group 1 were computed tomography (CT) scanned at 30, 70, 100 and 120 kg TBW, and those of Group 2 were CT scanned only at the slaughter TBW. From CT images, several fat thicknesses, areas and widths were measured, as well as the volume associated with each Hounsfield value. From the slaughtered pigs’ carcasses, organs and viscera weights were recorded and carcass measures were obtained at the midline with a ruler and a tape, and at 6–8 cm distance from the midline with a Fat-O-Meat’er equipment. Meat quality parameters were also obtained in the loin. Additionally, intramuscular fat was chemically determined at three levels of the loin and at three muscles of the ham. From all the left half carcasses, cuts were obtained and weighed. Moreover, from some cuts, subcutaneous fat weight was recorded and, in some cuts, additionally lean, intermuscular fat and bone weight were also obtained. Right half carcasses were minced, and proximate chemical composition, calcium, phosphorus and fatty acid composition were determined. The data and images provided can be used to work on body and carcass composition by sexual type, and to find relations between all the different quality characteristics determined. This can be useful for nutritional studies in order to know differences in pigs’ characteristics by sex when they were fed the same diet and raised in the same conditions. Moreover, the use of CT information, together with the chemical composition, can be used to find prediction equations of the carcass characteristics, which can be used in future nutritional works.