A possible indicator muscle for the fibre content and growth characteristics of porcine muscle

SUMMARY Fibre number and fibre size were measured in the flexor digiti V brevis muscle and other muscles in pigs of different breeds. A large variation in fibre number (200%) was found among the breeds. However, the fibre number in the flexor digiti V brevis was closely correlated with fibre number of other muscles in the same animal. Fibre number and size measurements were also carried out on animals at different ages taken from a relatively pure breed of pig. Fibre size was found to increase to differing extents in different muscles, although the increase in the flexor digiti V brevis was almost the same as in the longissimus dorsi . Fibre number did not change during growth. On the basis of these findings it is suggested that the flexor digiti V brevis is a suitable indicator muscle for genetic experiments.