Carcass quality of immunocastrated boars – A retrospective analysis of slaughterhouse data

Abstract

The aim of the study was to analyze the meat quality of immunocastrated (Improvac®, IC) male in comparison with female (GI), surgically castrated (BA) and entire male (EM) fattening pigs. In contrast to previous experimental studies, this analysis is based on slaughter data from routine slaughtering from one slaughterhouse (Germany), which offered farmers since 2018 the option of voluntarily supplying IC without the usual financial deduction for boars. Carcass parameters were assessed using AutoFOM III™. Until 2022, data from 1,736,684 pigs from 203 farms were available. After checking for completeness, plausibility and gender balance, slaughter data of 1,613,660 pigs with 434,479 IC from 182 farms remained for analysis. Number of IC slaughtered per year increased to 48 % during the study period and largely replaced BA animals (5.4 %) in 2022. Sex had the largest influence on the most important carcass parameters (e.g. lean meat percentage), while carcass weight was mainly influenced by the farm, but also by the change in the price mask. The carcass parameters of IC ranked mainly between GI and BA and within the acceptable range of slaughterhouse requirements, with IC tending to have values closer to GI. The analysis shows that the meat quality of IC animals can meet slaughterhouse requirements comparable to GI and BA. Considering the carcass parameters analyzed in this study immunocastration appears to be a sustainable and future-proof solution to the castration controversy and should be promoted through fair accounting of IC via the standard price masks for BA and GI.