20.500.12556/RUL-147545 Male reproductive organ weight criteria for detection of androstenone-positive carcasses in immunocastrated and antire male pigs Immunocastration and rearing of entire males (EMs) are sustainable alternatives to surgical castration. However, these animal carcasses have variable risk of boar taint and should be identified at the slaughter line. We aimed to identify a simple and reliable indicator of androstenone-related boar taint by evaluating pelvic urogenital tract weight as a marker of boar-taint animals at the slaughter line. The pelvic urogenital tract, testes, and accessory sex glands of EMs and immunocastrates (ICs) were collected, dissected, and weighed, before colorimetric measurements of testicular tissue. Additionally, GnRH antibody titers and testosterone, androstenone, and skatole levels were determined. Our results showed that 81.8% of EMs had androstenone levels above the risk threshold (>0.5 µg/g fat; EM/Ahigh subgroup), whereas in ICs, the C/Ahigh subgroup with androstenone >0.5 µg/g fat accounted for only 4.3%. Androstenone levels correlated negatively with GnRH antibody titers and positively with testosterone levels and reproductive organ weights. Identification of ICs with androstenone levels above the threshold (IC/Ahigh subgroup) may be achieved via testes or pelvic urogenital tract weight measurements. However, in EMs, the latter is a more reliable parameter. A principal component analysis based on these variables and hierarchical clustering also distinguished the Ahigh from the Alow subgroup, irrespective of IC/EM. The findings highlight the possible use of pelvic urogenital tract weight along with testes weight as a simple, reliable, and efficient morphometric indicator for identifying androstenone-positive carcasses of different sex categories. indicators and reagents castration immunization programs male boar taint morphometric indicators true false true Angleški jezik Ni določen Članek v reviji 2023-07-07 10:38:26 2023-07-07 10:38:29 2023-07-08 03:51:28 0000-00-00 00:00:00 2023 0 0 11 str. iss. 12, [art. no.] 2042 Vol. 13 2023 0000-00-00 Zaloznikova Objavljeno NiDoloceno 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 636.09:618.1 2076-2615 10.3390/ani13122042 156625667 Male_reproductive-Vrecl.pdf Male_reproductive-Vrecl.pdf 1 C5387C9AE32B5B2173D9EC1578A8A093 e9775e755569f27551790b93ab36e884b7ebd0c7514c55e2fa464d6a805968bf 0fe36635-1ca4-11ee-a314-00155dcfd717 https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=171171 https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/12/2042 1 3c9dbd91-1ca1-11ee-a314-00155dcfd717 https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=171164 Veterinarska fakulteta 0 0 0