Abstract: Four Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire pigs and four Ningxiang pigs with an average body weight of 50 kg were used in this study to determine the normal values of carcass characteristics, meat quality, contents and compositions of amino acids and fatty acids. The results showed that the average weights of carcass, skin and total fat, the total fat percentage and average backfat thickness in Ningxiang pigs were higher (P<0.05), while muscle weight, lean meat percentage and lion eye area were lower (P<0.05) compared with Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire pigs; the scores of meat color in Ningxiang pigs were higher (P<0.05), while drip losses were lower (P<0.05) compared with the Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire pigs. The contents of all kinds of amino acids in Ningxiang pigs were lower (P>0.05) than those of Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire pigs; the content of oleic acid in musculus longissimus dorsi and semitendinosus muscle of Ningxiang pigs were higher (P<0.05), while the contents of octadecanoic acid and linoleate acid in musculus longissimus dorsi and linoleate acid in semitendinosus muscle were lower (P<0.05) compared with the Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire pigs. 

Key words: pig; carcass characteristics; meat quality; amino acid; fatty acid