Carcass, meat quality and biochemical traits of Berkshire and Yorkshire progeny with or without PayleanRTM treatmen

Berkshire (B) and Yorkshire (Y) progeny were utilized to determine (1) if superior pork color and water-holding capacity (WHC) are associated with the activity of rate-limiting glycolytic enzymes, glycogen stored in the muscle and/or the proportion of Type I myosin heavy chain isoform (MHC). Additionally, two separate experiments (P1 and P2) were conducted to determine if Paylean RTM (P) fed at 10 ppm for the last four weeks improves growth and carcass traits without adversely affecting pork quality. In general, Y pigs had less backfat (tenth and average) and larger loin muscle areas (LMA) than B (P < .01), but loin muscle from B carcasses had lower d1 CIE L* values and less fluid loss (P < .1). Breed differences in color and WHC were not associated with glycolytic enzyme activity or MHC distribution. Paylean RTM tended to improve growth rate and feed efficiency (P < .09), but did not affect feed intake or live weight. In both experiments (P1 and P2), P improved LMA and ham weights (P < .06) but not carcass weights or backfat thickness. In P2, P was more effective at improving growth traits and carcass muscling in B than Y pigs. In P1, P did not affect color or WHC but BP had lower heme pigment concentrations than BC (P < .05). Also, P did not adversely affect subjective, color, firmness and marbling or WHC in P2. Therefore, PayleanRTM is an effective management tool that improves the inferior growth rate and carcass muscling of Berkshire progeny and does not adversely affect their superior pork quality attributes.