Effect of ractopamine and sex on growth, carcass characteristics, processing yield, and meat quality characteristics of crossbred swine

J Anim Sci. 1993 Sep;71(9):2439-49. doi: 10.2527/1993.7192439x.

Abstract

One hundred twenty-eight 64-kg crossbred barrows and gilts were administered either 0 or 20 ppm of Ractopamine (RAC) in a pelleted corn-soybean meal diet that contained either 17.5 or 19.6% CP. Carcass quality was evaluated after slaughter at 100 kg. Dietary protein levels produced few significant effects; therefore, data were pooled for analysis. Pigs fed RAC exhibited improvement in feed efficiency (P < .01), ADG (P < .01), and number of days to slaughter (P < .01). Pigs fed RAC had 1.8 mm less fat (P < .05) and 3.4 mm more lean (P < .01) at the grading probe site. Gilts had 4.9 mm less fat than barrows at the probe site (P < .01) and also yielded an estimated 4.1% more lean (P < .01). Trimmed loins and bellies of animals fed 20 ppm of RAC were 230 g heavier (P < .05) than those of animals fed the control diet. Trimmed loins from gilts were 260 g heavier (P < .05), whereas barrows produced bellies that were 490 g heavier (P < .05) than those of gilts. The yield of processed ham was greater from both pigs fed RAC (P < .01) and barrows (P < .05). Loins of pigs fed RAC had lower cooking loss (P < .05), greater Warner-Bratzler shear value (P < .05), and higher fragmentation index value (P < .01). Although effects of sex were similar to or greater than the effects of 20 ppm of RAC, these effects were additive.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adrenergic beta-Agonists / pharmacology*
  • Animal Feed
  • Animals
  • Crosses, Genetic
  • Eating / drug effects
  • Female
  • Food Handling
  • Growth Substances / pharmacology*
  • Male
  • Meat / standards*
  • Phenethylamines / pharmacology*
  • Sex Factors
  • Swine / genetics
  • Swine / growth & development*
  • Weight Gain / drug effects

Substances

  • Adrenergic beta-Agonists
  • Growth Substances
  • Phenethylamines
  • ractopamine