Boar taint is a problem for the pork industry due to its impact on meat quality. Pork has an unpleasant odour and a gamey taste when from an uncastrated male due to sex pheromones produced, which is why early castration is a common occurrence in North America. Early castration is not a perfect solution either as it leads to animal welfare issues and the improved lean growth and decreased fat levels are lost when castrated. Feed additives were investigated to see if any could mitigate the effects of boar taint through binding skatole and aldosterone. Wood charcoal is one of the binding agents that shows promise. It lowers the amount of boar taint so that it is acceptable to consumers. Using this method, productivity and welfare of the animals can be improved with lower costs.
Boar Taint Research in Good Taste (full article)
