Die Bodenkultur - Journal for Land Management, Food and Environment

J. J. Frickh, W. Wetscherek and W. A. Pichler:

Effects of rape seed meal on fattening performance, slaughtering performance and meat quality in pigs

Summary

Data of 210 pigs recorded at the Federal Research Farm Königshof (Austria) were analysed to investigate the effects of substituting sorghum, triticale and barley for rape-seed in diets for growing pigs on fattening performance, slaughtering performance and meat quality. The test starred at 30 kg live mass and was finished at 100 kg. These feeding components were substituted for rape-seed at levels of 0, 3, 6 and 9 % of the diets. For two groups rape-seed was reduced in the second fattening part from 9 % to 4,5 % and 0 %, respectively. Average daily feed intake, average daily gain and feed conversion were not affected by dietary rape-seed levels. Pigs fed diets containing 6 % rape-seed had higher lean content and slaughtering percentage but lower fat content than those fed with 0, 3, 4, 5 and 9 % rape-seed, pH-value, sensory and colourimetric features were not affected by content of rape-seed. Share force was higher on diets containing 9 % rape-seed. As a result of feeding rape-seed, in external fat polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) increased from 12,4 % (0 % rape), 14,7 % (3 % rape), 16,9 % (6 % rape) to 18,7 (9 % rape). The reduction of rape in the diet of the second fattening section on 4,5 % and 0 %, respectively, decreased PUFA on 16,7 % and 12,8 % respectively. The reactions in intramuscular fat were analogous. From the data presented here, feeding of 9 % rape-seed in the first fattening section can be recommended maintaining fattening and slaughtering performance and meat quality. In the second fattening section rape should be reduced to 2-3 % because of the soft consistence of fat. PUFA fed in the second fattening section have a high influence on fat quality. Key words:  rape seed, pig, meat quality.