A comparison of some metabolitesin skeletal muscle of different halothane sensitivity withmeat quality traits of pigs using a capillary isotachophoresis technique

Isotachophoretic (ITP) measurements were made on biopsy samples from live muscle M. longissimus lumborum and carcasses of pigs. Two experiments were performed. In Experiment 1, the methodological aspects of ITP measurements from skeletal muscle, were studied. In Experiment 2, ITP measurements on muscle and carcass samples were made. The muscle and carcass samples were obtained by shot or spring-loaded biopsy from the Longissimus lumborum muscle of 30 Belgium Landrace × Duroc pigs, of which 10 were halothane-positive. The pigs were slaughtered by electro-stunning and manguination at approximately 105 kg body l. w.

The potential meat quality in live pigs and after slaughter using small biopsy samples of M. longissimus lumborum was also determined. The experimental results show that ITP (mainly inosinemonophosphate and lactate) and meat quality data (water-holding capacity test, pH and R value) can differentiate halo thane-positive from halothane-negative pigs. Out results confirmed previous results which showed that the water-holding capacity test defined as fluid volume', pH and R value measurements on biopsy samples can also predict the potential meat quality in live pigs.