Trend Moves to More Fat in Pork

Feb 20, 2018

An Applied Meat Scientist with PIC North America says the trend toward reducing the level of fat in pork has reversed in order to improve eating quality.

"Fat Quality and Composition in Finishing Pigs" was a topic of discussion at this year's Manitoba Swine Seminar in Winnipeg.

Dr. Neal Matthews, an Applied Meat Scientist with PIC North America, says back in the 1990s most of the breeding programs changed to reduce fat and in the 2000s we were getting fat levels extremely low.

Dr. Neal Matthews-PIC North America:

It was getting to a point, especially from a North American perspective where we were not having enough fat to have good belly quality and the quality of the fat was even getting bad.

It was softer fat so, as we progress farther, I think we'll see less pressure on reducing backfat into it and maybe just holding it at a steady pace as we move forward.

It's generally felt that fat, or intramuscular fat, in the meat gives a benefit to eating quality.

That's very true of beef but in pork it doesn't provide as much of an improvement in eating quality as things like pH would come into play.

So a lot of people are focusing on improving pH in order to improve the eating quality.

Source : Farmscape

Video: Secure Pork Supply Plan | Prepare to Protect Your Herd | U.S. Pork Producers

Join Jill Brokaw, a third-generation pig farmer and staff member of the National Pork Board, as she dives into the vital role of the Secure Pork Supply (SPS) Plan in preparing the U.S. pork industry for potential foreign animal disease outbreaks. This video is an essential watch for pork producers who are looking to safeguard their operations against the threats of diseases like foot and mouth disease, classical swine fever, and African swine fever.

•Why Should Pork Producers Care?

An outbreak of foreign animal diseases in the U.S. could lead to severe restrictions and potentially result in industry-wide financial losses estimated between $15 to $100 billion. The SPS Plan is a collective effort to prevent such catastrophic outcomes by enhancing biosecurity, ensuring animal traceability, and promoting effective disease monitoring.

What You'll Learn:

The Importance of Preparedness: Understand why being proactive is crucial for maintaining business continuity during an outbreak.

•Enhanced Biosecurity Measures:

Write a site-specific biosecurity plan that can serve as the first line of defense against potential outbreaks.

•Animal Disease Traceability:

Learn about the significance of tracking animal movement and how acquiring a premises identification number (PIN) and using AgView can facilitate this process. Disease Monitoring: Find out how continuous observation and reporting can keep your herd healthy and disease-free.

•Getting Started with SPS:

The video breaks down the seemingly daunting task of preparing for a foreign animal disease outbreak into manageable steps. With free resources available at www.securepork.org, including templates and instructions, Jill guides producers on developing a customized plan to enhance their farm's defenses.

•Expert Insights:

Hear from Dr. Pam Zaabel on collaborating with your herd veterinarian to develop and implement your SPS plan effectively.

•Takeaway:

The Secure Pork Supply initiative is more than a plan; it's a commitment to the resilience of our food supply and the livelihoods within the pork industry. By embracing these proactive measures, we can collectively enhance our preparedness for foreign animal disease outbreaks.