Pascolo e suini di razza Cinta senese. Effetti sulla qualità dei prodotti

Cinta Senese (CS) is currently bred with different rearing and feeding techniques that consequently determine variability in product characteristics. The aim of our paper was to test the effect of grass pasture on tissue composition of sample joint and on physical-chemical traits of meat and subcutaneous fat. Sixteen finishing CS pigs were divided into two groups: 8 animals (P) were reared on pasture with an integration of 1.4 kg/d per head of mixture usually employed by the farmer; 8 animals (C) were reared in confined area and fed exclusively the same mixture (2.6 kg/d/head). Both groups showed appreciable meat tenderness with no significant differences (shear force of 7.26 vs 6.69 kg on raw meat and 7.55 vs 8.05 kg on cooked meat, for P and C respectively). High values of intramuscular fat in Longissimus lumborum (4.1% vs 4.9%) and Psoas major (2.6% vs 3.0%), for P and C respectively, were recorded. Subcutaneous fat of P revealed higher percentages of C18:3 (0.8% vs 0.6%, P=0,004), even if PUFA did not exceed 15%. Results underlined the appreciable characteristics of CS meat fed on pasture and the feasibility of reducing the use of cereals.