The limitation of using the tight of pigs slaughtered in Friuli
Venezia Giulia Region only for the production of the San Daniele
ham DOP and the concomitant ban to export from the Region
these tights for the other Italian hams DOP forced the Region
and the Regional breeder association (AAFVG) to find new strategy
to ensure the economic sustainability of regional pig farms.
A 5 year research program was founded to evaluate the reproductive
and productive performances and the carcass and seasoned
ham quality of Italian Duroc X Italian Large White F1 crosses
(DU). This hybrids were compared to a Commercial hybrid X
Italian Large White F1 crosses (GO) in 3 commercial farms in
Friuli Venezia Giulia. 330 Italian Large White sows were mated
with 13 Italian Duroc or 13 Commercial hybrids boars during a 3
year span times and at born a radio frequency identification chip
was inserted on left leg of piglets and used. Of the 30000 pigs
born, 4784 were individually monitored for live weight at 4 and
11 weeks of age and at the end of fattening (around 280 day of
age), carcass weight and quality (Fat-O-Meter), weight of fresh
thighs and fat composition. The DU pigs had significantly higher
(P<0.01) final live weight (173.7 kg±0.5 s.e. vs 167.4 kg±0.5
s.e.), carcass weight (141.0 kg±0.4 s.e. vs 138.7 kg±0.4 s.e.),
fresh thigh weights (17.1 kg±0.1 s.e. vs 16.3 kg±0.1 s.e.) and
lower monounsaturated fatty acid percentage in subcutaneous
fat of thigh (47.9%± 1.5 s.e. vs 49.2%±0.9 s.e.) than the GO
hybrids. The fat percentage measured by FOM was significantly
higher (P<0.01) in DU pigs (48.7%±0.1 s.e. vs 49.2%±0.1 s.e.)
and the percentage of pig carcasses classified as R in the EUROP
grid were significantly (P<0.05) higher in DU (57.6%) compared
to GO (55.6%). According to these results, the DU are proposed
as a new brand of Tipicamente Friulano for the Friuli Venezia
Giulia pig industry.
