Impacts of in Utero Heat Stress on Carcass and Meat Quality Traits of Market Weight Gilts

Abstract

This study evaluated the impacts of in utero heat stress (IUHS) on the carcass and meat quality traits of offspring when market weight was reached. Twenty-four F1 Landrace × Large White gilts were blocked by body weight and allocated among thermoneutral (IUTN) or IUHS treatments from d 6 to d 59 of gestation. The offspring were raised under identical thermoneutral conditions, and gilts (n = 10/treatment) at market weight (117.3 ± 1.7 kg) were harvested. At 24 h postmortem, the loins (M. longissimus lumborum) were obtained, and sections were allocated among 1 d and 7 d aging treatments at 2 °C. Carcasses from IUHS pigs had lower head and heart weights (p < 0.05), as well as decreased loin muscle area (p < 0.05) compared to IUTN pigs. Loins from the IUHS group had a higher shear force value than the IUTN group (p < 0.05). Treatments had no other impacts on carcass and meat quality traits (p > 0.05), and Western blots suggested increased toughness of IUHS loins would not be attributed to proteolysis. These results suggest minimizing IUHS during the first half of gestation may be beneficial in improving pork yield and quality, though in general the effects of IUHS would be minimal.