Skatole pattern during the growth period 50 to 100 kg liveweight in entire male pigs of the crossbreed combinations YDxLYD and HxLYD kept in groups of entire male pigs or in groups with dominant female pigs

Summary

1. Dominant females do not decrease the skatole and androstenone concentration in entire male pigs being dominated during the growth period from 50-100 kg liveweight (see fig. 1 and 3).
2. The amount of entire male pigs having higher skatole concentrations in blood – corresponding to skatole in backfat > 0.15 µg/g – are surprisingly high at 50 kg and 75 kg liveweight compared to 100 kg (10, 9 and 13 entire male pigs).
3. Furthermore it is not the same pigs having high skatole concentrations during the period from 50 over 75 to 100 kg liveweight.
4. The crossbreed HxLYD had significant higher skatole concentration in backfat at slaughter (100 kg liveweight) compared to the crossbreed YDxLYD (P<0.05)(see fig. 2). However, there was no significant difference in androstenone concentration in backfat at
100 kg liveweight between the 2 crossbreeds (see fig. 3).