The Italian pig sector requires heavy pigs (raised for at least nine months and slaughtered at >160 kg). In order to avoid boar taint and lower the impact on welfare, immunocastration provides an alternative to surgical castration. This study investigated the effects of immunocastration compared to surgical castration on the chemical composition and fatty acid profile of loins (longissimus dorsi muscle) and adipose tissue in Italian heavy pigs raised for dry-cured ham. Twenty-four male pigs were subjected to surgical castration (n = 12) or immunocastration (n = 12). Carcass parameters were monitored at slaughter, and samples of longissimus dorsi muscle and subcutaneous fat were analysed. This study showed no significant differences in carcass characteristics and proximate composition of fresh meat. However, variations were observed in the fatty acid profiles of meat and adipose tissue between groups. Notably, saturated fatty acids, particularly stearic acid (18:0), were higher in the intramuscular fat (IMF) of the immunocastrated pigs compared to the surgically castrated pigs. Conversely, monounsaturated fatty acids, predominantly oleic acid (18:1n-9), were higher in the IMF from the surgically castrated pigs compared to the immunocastrated pigs. While immunocastration may offer benefits in terms of animal growth and carcass composition, it could lead to unfavourable lipid changes in fresh loin meat for Italian heavy pigs.

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为意大利干腌产品饲养的重猪：免疫去势是否会影响腰部和背膘的脂肪酸分布？

意大利养猪业需要重型猪（饲养至少九个月，屠宰重量>160公斤）。为了避免公猪异味并降低对福利的影响，免疫去势提供了手术去势的替代方案。本研究调查了与手术去势相比，免疫去势对干腌火腿饲养的意大利重型猪腰部（背最长肌）和脂肪组织的化学成分和脂肪酸谱的影响。对 24 头雄性猪进行了手术去势 (n = 12) 或免疫去势 (n = 12)。在屠宰时监测胴体参数，并分析背最长肌和皮下脂肪样本。这项研究表明，鲜肉的胴体特征和近似成分没有显着差异。然而，在各组之间观察到肉和脂肪组织的脂肪酸谱存在差异。值得注意的是，与手术阉割的猪相比，免疫去势猪的肌内脂肪 (IMF) 中的饱和脂肪酸，特别是硬脂酸 (18:0) 较高。相反，与免疫去势猪相比，手术去势猪的IMF中单不饱和脂肪酸（主要是油酸（18:1n-9））更高。虽然免疫去势可能在动物生长和胴体成分方面带来好处，但它可能导致意大利重型猪的新鲜腰肉发生不利的脂质变化。