FORMATION OF MEAT CHARACTERISTICS OF PIGS OF DIFFERENT ACTIVITY CLASSES UNDER INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY CONDITIONS

Abstract

The issue of ensuring welfare in industrial pork production is particularly relevant, as this parameter directly determines the realization of genetic potential, the dynamics of growth and development of the organism, and the formation of basic meat characteristics. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of behavioral activity class on the formation of slaughter and meat traits of pigs of different crossbred combinations under industrial conditions. The experimental trials were conducted at the agricultural cooperative «MIG-Service- Agro» (Mykolaiv region, Ukraine). The study involved 120 fattening pigs of two combinations: ♀ (Large White × Landrace) × ♂ Duroc and ♀ (Large White × Landrace) × ♂ Pietrain. Animals were classified according to their locomotor activity index, with two groups identified: active (LAI 0.37–0.47) and passive (LAI 0.27–0.36). The results demonstrated that active pigs, regardless of genotype, exhibited higher preslaughter and slaughter weights, greater carcass meat yield, and better comprehensive indices. In the (LW×L)×D combination, active pigs surpassed passive ones in chilled carcass weight by 3.63 kg, meat yield by 1.90%, and comprehensive index by 25.10 points. In the (LW×L)×P combination, the differences were less pronounced but followed the same trends: active pigs showed higher meat yield (+1.84%) and advantage in the comprehensive index (+10.80 points). Passive pigs of both crossbreds were characterized by thicker backfat (1.63–1.83 mm more) and greater carcass weight loss after chilling (0.39–0.41 kg), indicating more intensive fat deposition and lower tissue stability. Conversely, the area of the longissimus dorsi «muscle eye» and carcass length indicated the advantage of active animals. In conclusion, pig activity proved to be an important factor influencing meat traits under industrial pig production. The extent of this influence depended on the genotype: differences between activity classes were more pronounced in the (LW×L)×Duroc combination compared with (LW×L)×Pietrain. Future research should focus on biochemical and morphological tissue characteristics, genetic mechanisms underlying behavioral activity, and practical recommendations for breeding programs and improvement of industrial pig production technologies.