A comparison of boars, gilts and castrates for bacon manufacture: 2. Curing characteristics, bacon yield and quality

Curing data were obtained from the carcasses of 54 boars (B), 58 gilts (G) and 46 castrates (C) reared from birth to slaughter at 89 kg live weight. Middle bacon rashers were compared for colour and incidence of fat splitting. The uptake of curing salts was similar for each sex group but carcasses of B retained proportionately 0012 less of the cure compared with G and C which did not differ significantly. Bacon yields from B, G and C at a final live weight of 88·6 kg were 40·6, 42·4 and 42·2 kg respectively. Sex did not influence the degree of splitting of the backfat layers in bacon rashers and had little effect on the colour of their lean tissue, but B compared with G and C tended to have a higher incidence of separation of the inner fat layer from the m. longissimus in the bacon rasher.