Genetic relationships between carcase composition and meat quality in Australian pigs

Abstract

To be successful in today's markets the meat quality and carcase composition of pork carcases must be of a high standard. Most selection programs consider leanness as the optimum characteristic of the carcase and neglect meat quality. In doing so this may lead to problems of poor pork quality. The inclusion of carcase composition and meat quality in a breeding program requires knowledge of the genetic correlations between these characteristics. The aim of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for carcase composition and meat quality in Australian Large White and Landrace pigs.