Histochemical properties of fibre types in muscles of wild and domestic pigs and the effect of growth rate on muscle fibre properties

This study reports the results of a comparison of the histochemical properties of various types of porcine muscles in wild and domestic pigs. In domestic pigs, the influence of growth rates on these properties were studied in five muscles: longissimus dorsi (LD), semimembranosus (SM), gluteus superficialis (GS), infra spinam (IS) and masseter (MAS). The growth rate was expressed as: (i) live weight (LW) at 165 +/- 2 days and (ii) daily LW gain from day 88 to day 165 (DG) on the experimental diet. LD, SM, GS and IS of wild pigs were found to contain a higher area percentage of oxidative type IIA fibres (type IIA%(area)) and a lower percentage area of glycolytic type IIB fibres (type IIB%(area)) than the same muscles of domestic pigs. The capillary density in the light muscles (LD, SM, GS) of wild pigs was twice that of domestic pigs, indicating higher oxidative capacity. In domestic pigs the cross sectional area of type IIB fibres (CSA(IIB)) was markedly larger than the cross sectional area of type I (CSA(I)) and IIA (CSA(IIA)) fibres. The average fibre cross sectional area (CSA(fibre)) was about the same in the muscles of wild and domestic pigs except in LD and SM, where the average fibre cross sectional area was approximately 25% smaller in wild pigs than in domestic pigs. This difference was caused by the large cross sectional area of type IIB fibres in the light muscles of domestic pigs. In the light muscles of domestic pigs, the cross sectional area of type IIA fibres increased most with increasing growth rate. Growth rate influences muscle fibre properties only in light muscles, not in dark muscles. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.