Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-gb8f7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T20:38:25.996Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The nature and variability of the carcass characters of Danish and English bacon pigs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

C. P. McMeekan
C. P. McMeekan
Affiliation:
School of Agriculture, Cambridge, and Massey Agricultural College, University of New Zealand
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

1. The quality status of Danish and English Wiltshire bacon sides representative of the highest grades produced at the present time has been investigated by the use of carcass measurements. The data resulting provide “standards” for practical guidance in stock improvement work on bacon pigs, and for the evaluation of experimental treatments involving bacon quality.

2. The variability of the respective characters has been compared by means of the coefficient of variation of each. The results indicate that while selection on a basis of “external characters” and of such internal characters, as are readily measurable, leads to marked uniformity in respect of these characters, it does not necessarily involve similar uniformity in respect of important “internal characters” which are not taken into account in either stock selection or commercial grading practices.

3. External characters thus do not provide a reliable indication of the internal quality status of the bacon pig, and since it is the latter which largely governs the cutting value of the side, concentration upon addition to the former is desirable if still further improvement in the quality of the bacon pig is desired.

4. Variability appears to be affected also by the rate of development of the character concerned; late developing characters in general tend to be more variable than early.

5. The intimate association between nutrition and the rate of development of the various parts and tissues of the pig provides a method of control in addition to that of selection.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 29 , Issue 1 , January 1939 , pp. 131 - 141
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1939

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Bishop, G. R. H. (1937). 4th Report, College of Estate Management. London, p. 43.Google Scholar
Davidson, H. R., Hammond, J., Swain, J. B. & Wright, N. L. (1936). Pig Breed. Annu. 16, 49.Google Scholar
Duckham, A. N. (1938). Bacon Development Board (Private communication).Google Scholar
Hammond, J. (1936). Festschrift Prof. Duerst. Berne, 92.Google Scholar
Hammond, J. & Murray, G. N. (1937). J. agric. Sci. 27, 394.Google Scholar
Jensen, K. M., Jespersen, J. & Ærsøe, H. (1935). Denmark Agriculture, Copenhagen, p. 223.Google Scholar
Lush, J. L. (1936). Res. Bull. Ia agric. Exp. Sta. No. 204.Google Scholar
McMeekan, C. P. (1937). N.Z. J. Agric., March and April, pp. 147 and 223.Google Scholar
McMeekan, C. P. (1939). Paper in course of publication.Google Scholar