Effect of Fattening Period Length on Intramuscular and Subcutaneous Fatty Acid Profiles in Iberian Pigs Finished in the Montanera Sustainable System

Dolores Ayuso, Ana González, Francisco Peña, Francisco I. Hernández-García and Mercedes Izquierdo
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Dolores Ayuso: Department of Animal Production, Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas de Extremadura, Badajoz, 06187 Guadajira, Spain
Ana González: Department of Animal Production, University of Córdoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain
Francisco Peña: Department of Animal Production, University of Córdoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain
Francisco I. Hernández-García: Department of Animal Production, Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas de Extremadura, Badajoz, 06187 Guadajira, Spain
Mercedes Izquierdo: Department of Animal Production, Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas de Extremadura, Badajoz, 06187 Guadajira, Spain

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 19, 1-12

Abstract: Twenty-four extensively reared Iberian pigs were used to study the influence of fattening period length (30, 60 or 90 days) on the fatty acid profiles of intramuscular and subcutaneous fat and the relationships between both profiles. Regarding fatty acid (FA) percentage, PUFA was greater in backfat and MUFA was greater in intramuscular fat (IMF), regardless of fattening period length. The longer fattening period increased MUFA content in backfat (which had a more marked change in oleic acid) and decreased PUFA content in backfat and IMF, but it did not affect SFA content. Within the three-layer subcutaneous backfat, SFA content was greater in the inner layer, MUFA was greater in the outer layer and PUFA was greater in both of these layers. The few differences in FA composition between both adipose tissues suggest that the changes due to the feeding regime are slow and, therefore, although the length of the fattening phase was increased, the fatty acid profile did not change substantially. The strong relationship between the FA profiles of IMF and backfat might be used to predict one profile from the other one when the latter is more readily available for sampling or analytical reasons.

Keywords: free-range; backfat layers; intramuscular fat; Iberian pig; subcutaneous fat (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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