Fiber types and metabolic characteristics in muscles of wild boars, normal and halothane sensitive Swedish landrace pigs

Muscle fiber characteristics, glycogen content and enzyme activities were studied in muscles of six Swedish landrace pigs, six wild boars and in three halothane sensitive landrace pigs. The wild boars have a higher proportion of type I and IIA fibers compared with Swedish landrace pigs. Fiber composition is similar in landrace pigs and halothane sensitive landrace pigs. The wild boars revealed the highest citrate synthase (CS) and 3-OH-acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (HAD) activities and the lowest glycogen content compared with the other two groups. Lower CS and HAD activities were observed in the halothane sensitive pigs compared with the other pigs. The data show that wild boars have a higher and halothane sensitive landrace pigs a lower aerobic capacity in skeletal muscles compared with Swedish landrace pigs.