Abstract
Sixty-five castrated male and twenty-four female pigs of Landrace breed which were fattened up to approx. 90kg in live body weight and tested for the meat production performance were used in this study concerning pH, moisture content, humectation capacity, brightness in colour, and texture (hardness, cohesiveness, elasticity, adhesiveness, gumminess, and chewability) of the longissimus thoracis muscle 48 hours after the slaughter. The results obtained were as cited hereunder.
1. Significant differences attributable to sex were noted in its moisture content, brightness in colour, hardness, and chewability. Moisture content was higher in the female pigs, whereas brightness, hardness, and chewability were significantly higher in the castrated male pigs.
2. Among each of the tested items, correlation was noted between pH and moisture content, pH and brightness in colour, moisture content and humectation capacity, humectation capacity and brightness, colour and texture, and hardness and brightness.
