Male reproductive organ weight : criteria for detection of androstenone-positive carcasses in immunocastrated and antire male pigs

Fazarinc, Gregor (author), Batorek Lukač, Nina (author), Škrlep, Martin (author), Poklukar Žnidaršič, Klavdija (author), Broeke, Alice (author), Kress, Kevin (author), Labussière, Etienne (author), Stefanski, Volker (author), Vrecl, Milka (author), Čandek-Potokar, Marjeta (author)

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.

• Language: English
• Keywords: indicators and reagents, castration, immunization programs, male, boar taint, morphometric indicators
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: VF - Veterinary Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2023
• Number of pages: 11 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 13, iss. 12, [art. no.] 2042
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-147545
• UDC: 636.09:618.1
• ISSN on article: 2076-2615
• DOI: 10.3390/ani13122042
• COBISS.SI-ID: 156625667
• Publication date in RUL: 07.07.2023

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Animals
• Shortened title: Animals
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 2076-2615
• COBISS.SI-ID: 519120409

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.
• Licensing start date: 07.07.2023