Productive, carcass, meat and sensory quality and bone characteristics of entire male and early and late immunocastrated pigs

A total of 40 pigs of the same commercial line ((LargeWhite x Landrace) x Pietrain) were fed ad libitum the same commercial. Pigs were randomised into 3 groups (1) early immunocastrated (EIC, n =14), which received the first dose of the vaccine (V1) Improvac 13 weeks before slaughter and the second dose (V2) 8 weeks before slaughter; (2) late immunocastrated (LIC, n =14), which received V1 8 weeks and V2 4 weeks before slaughter; and (3) entire male (EM, n =12). The pigs were housed in pens of 2 animals from the same treatment. Finally, three pigs were removed from the experiment due to health problems (2 EIC and 1 EM), leaving 37 pigs for further analysis. Productive parameters were determined individually or by pen. Once slaughtered reproductive organs were measured. Carcass quality determinations were carried out. Also, left half carcasses were scanned with the computed tomography device (Philips Brilliance 16) and the volume associated to each Hounsfield value determined to characterize bones according to its density (17871 axial images from 37 carcasses are included in this dataset). Moreover, the radius bone was characterized. Also, some linear and area measurements were taken from the scans. Meat quality was determined as well as fat quality, in terms of fatty acid composition. Additionally, histological analysis was carried out to determine the diameter and proportion of each type of fibres.