Maria Kawęcka

Effect of dietary plant extracts mixture on pork meat quality

Abstract The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of a plant extracts mixture including carvacrol (oregano), cinnamaldehyde (cinnamom), and capsicum oleoresin (Mexican pepper) on the meat quality of pigs. The study was carried out on 60 pigs, divided into two groups (control and experimental), 30 pigs each. The control group was given a basal diet and the experimental group (XT group) received the basal diet supplemented with 80 mg/kg (XT). The fattening of pigs was carried out from a body weight of 30 to 100 kg. The pigs XT group had a lower M. longissimus dorsi (LD) electrical conductivity at 24 hour post-mortem, lower drip loss and cooking loss from the LD muscle, however, had a higher water holding capacity and a* values (redness) in the fresh meat. The plant extracts significantly increased the sensory quality of the fresh meat and the cooked meat.

Effects of selenium and vitamin E supplementation on selenium distribution and meat quality of pigs

Abstract The study was conducted on 60 pigs kept in individual pens. The animals were allocated to four groups. The growing-finishing pigs from the control group were fed with basic feed containing 0.3 mg selenium (Se) derived from Na2SeO3 kg−1 and 60 mg of dl-α-tocopheryl acetate kg−1. The remaining three groups were differentiated by adding 0.2 mg kg−1 Se-enriched yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and/or 60 mg vitamin E to feed (grower and finisher). Our results show that the addition of organic Se to inorganic Se commonly used in pig feed caused a significant increase in hepatic Se and muscle. This indicates the possibility of using these products as functional foods to improve Se status in humans residing within regions which are deficient in this trace element. We found no beneficial effect of supplementation with vitamin E and Se on the quality of the meat.

The Relation Between Intramuscular Fat Level in the Longissimus Muscle and the Quality of Pig Carcasses and Meat

Abstract This study evaluated the effect of intramuscular fat (IMF) content on the quality of pig carcass and meat. One hundred and twenty right half-carcasses of crossbred pigs (Pietrain × Duroc boars and Polish Large White × Polish Landrace sows) from a commercial farm were divided into two groups depending on the content of IMF in the longissimus muscle (LM): LIMF - lower content (mean 2.05% IMF; 28 gilts and 30 barrows) and HIMF - higher content (mean 3.08% IMF; 32 gilts and 30 barrows) were used. Pigs with a higher IMF content in LM (HIMF group) had a significantly lower (P≤0.01) percentage of lean meat in carcass, loin muscle area, level of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and PUFAs/SFAs ratio, whereas backfat thickness, content of cholesterol in LM, levels of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) were significantly greater (P≤0.01) than those in pigs with lower IMF content (LIMF group).

Phenotypic Correlations of Testes Size with Semen Traits and the Productive Traits of Young Boars.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether there is a relationship of young boar testes size with semen traits and with productive traits. The dimensions (length, width and volume) of each testis and semen traits (semen volume, percentage of sperm with progressive motility, sperm concentration, total number of sperm in semen, percentage of sperm with normal acrosome, percentage of sperm with major and minor morphological defects, osmotic resistance test value and activity of aspartate aminotransferase in seminal plasma) were determined on 120 young boars aged 6 months. At 180 day of age, the boars backfat thickness and leanness (by ultrasonic apparatus) and body weight were also measured. The average daily gain was determined in the period from 70 to 180 days of age of the boars. The results showed that the sperm concentration, total number of sperm in semen and percentage of progressive motile sperm were a significantly positively correlated with width and volume of the left (p ≤ 0.01) and right testis (p ≤ 0.05) and with total volume of both testes (p ≤ 0.01). But the highest values of correlation coefficients were found between the width of the left testis and sperm concentration, total number of sperm in semen and percentage of progressive motile sperm. A correlations of dimensions (length and width) and volume of testes with other semen traits were very low and statistically non-significant. The volume of testes (left and right testis and total testes) was significantly positively correlated with body weight at 180 days of age and daily gain (p ≤ 0.01), but lower correlation coefficient was between left testis and daily gain (p ≤ 0.05), whereas correlations were low and non-significant with leanness and backfat thickness.

Effect of dietary vitamins E and C supplementation on performance of sows and piglets

Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of increased vitamins E and C doses in the feeding of sows at the last stage of gestation (90 day) and during lactation on the performance of sows and their piglets. The study was carried out in two seasons (winter and summer) on 139 multiparous sows, divided into three groups: control diet – vitamin E 60 mg/kg, experimental diet – vitamin E 200 mg/kg, experimental diet – vitamin E 200 mg/kg + vitamin C 500 mg/kg. In spite of an increased concentration of these vitamins in the serum of piglets, no clear effect on the rearing results was found. However, an advantageous post-effect of the vitamins fed to sows was shown. The addition of vitamin E together with vitamin C significantly reduced the body temperature of sows after farrowing and considerably reduced the number of sows culled after rearing.

Effects of BF Gene Polymorphism on the Reproductive Performance of Hybrid Polish Landrace X Polish Large White Sows

Abstract The aim of this study was to determine the potential relationship between variants of the BF gene and litter size in Polish Landrace x Polish Large White sows. To identify polymorphism within the BF gene, the PCR-RFLP method was applied, using specific primers and the SmaI enzyme. The researchers identified the presence of two alleles, T and C, with frequencies: 0.68 and 0.32, giving three genotypes with frequencies: 0.49, 0.37 and 0.14, respectively for TT, TC and CC. Analysis of relationships between the various genotypes of the BF gene and selected reproductive traits showed significant differences. Sows with TT genotype in the BF locus, gave birth to significantly more live piglets in the first litter (10.24) compared with sows with the CC genotype (7.13).