Meat Quality

Consistent Meat Quality in Every Hog

Recipe(s) and photo(s) courtesy of National Pork Board. For more information about pork, visit Pork.com.

Tuthill Family Farms has made meat quality a priority in our breeding program. In general, Berkshire hogs have been shown to be the best for meat quality of all the major breeds. However, within the breed there are variations due to bloodlines which can be selected for. We use a few categories to prioritize these variations when selecting. These include pH, Intamuscular fat, minolta and instron tests. Below is a brief explanation of each.

  • Ph is associated with drip loss and color of the loin. A higher number is more desirable.
  • IMF Is a percentage of Intramuscularly fat. A higher number is more desirable.
  • Minolta is light reflectance off a meat sample at 24 hrs. past kill. A lower score Is better.

Five years of data collected by the NPPC with our hogs participating in the progeny pen test have been proven to show the following:

Average Scores
  • pH - 5.68
  • IMF - 2.51
  • Minolta - 25.0
Our Scores
  • pH - 5.71
  • IMF - 3.28
  • Minolta - 23.3

As you can see, even in our own breed, our pigs have superior meat quality.

These results all meet or exceed the Berkshire breed averages. Quality runs deep on our farm.

In order to maintain quality within the herd, our farm does not feed animal byproducts. Our hogs are raisd in an ecologically sustainable indoor and outdoor environments. Additionally, our hogs are also antibiotic free and hormone free.

Additionally, one of our gilt lines was tested at World Pork Expo and showed an IMF score of 8.34. This is the best IMF ever recorded by the American Berkshire Association. A littermate to this gilt scored a 5.89. Both these scores are well above a typical score of 3-4. Berkshire hogs and Tuthill Family Farms are leading the industry In meat quality. Many of our current herd boars and nucleus sows have these genetics in their pedigree.

Geneseek DNA Trait Markers

PRKAG3

We have utilized validated porcine trait marker testing to look for favorable alleles for various traits. One marker has been identified as favorable for better ultilllate pH and lower glycol tic potential resulting in better color and minolta scores. Over 90% of our test group was homozygous or A/A for this allele.

CAST 638, 249

This is a gene marker associated with higher tenderness, lower cooking loss, and instron force. 100% of test group was homozygous A/A and G/G for both allele.

We only feed non-GMO corn, grown on our farm, to our hogs.

We only add this all natural enzyme to our hog's diet. It is a probiotic which enhances a healthy stomach.

Meat quality is bred into our Berkshire hogs.