Effects of three genotypes and two roughages in organic heavy pig production for dry fermented sausage manufacture 2. Meat quality, fatty acid pattern, and product quality

Castrated heavy pigs of > 160 kg body weight are used for dry fermented sausage manufacture due to the required fat quantity and quality. Today, most organic production systems use modern hybrids (Hy) with often insufficient fat features. The use of endangered breeds with high body fat synthesis capacity like Saddlebacks (Sa) could be an alternative with an additional benefit as to maintaining biodiversity. This study with a total of 132 castrates analysed the effects of three genotypes (Sa, Piétrain*Sa (PiSa), Hy) and two roughage sources (grass-clover silage, straw) on performance, carcass-, meat-, fat-, product-quality, and economic aspects. The present paper deals with meat quality (MQ), fatty acid pattern (FAP), and product quality of dry fermented sausage (PQ). MQ and FAP are both influenced significantly by the genotype but not to a noteworthy extent by the roughage source. Regarding MQ, all genotypes were well suited. Concerning FAP, critical poly-unsaturated fatty acid content of back fat required for the production of dry fermented sausages was exceeded by Hy (15.9 %) whereas Sa was best suited with the lowest mean content (11.9 %) under the trial’s particular feeding conditions. This suitability of the raw material for the production of dry fermented sausages can also be seen in PQ of the end-product: Sa sausages tend to have the best PQ whereas Hy tend to have the lowest PQ. PiSa always ranked in the middle for nearly all analysed criteria of MQ, FAP and PQ. Considering the good results of performance, carcass quality and economics of PiSa (1st communication), crossbreeding of Sa with a modern sire line seems to be the best way to ensure the survival of an old endangered pig breed via value creation by producing a premium pork speciality like dry fermented sausage.