Accumulation of skatole levels in porcine fat tissue is a major reason for boar taint, an objectionable odour in meat from entire male pigs. In contrast to males, female pigs do not accumulate skatole in increased amounts. Hepatic metabolism is critical for the regulation of skatole. Cytochromes P4502E1 (CYP2E1) and P4502A6 (CYP2A6) are key enzymes involved in skatole metabolism. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of gender and hCG stimulation on the activities of CYP2A6. Liver samples were taken at slaughter and analyzed for skatole concentrations, and for activities of CYP2E1 and CYP2A6. It was found that female pigs expressed higher CYP2E1 activity whereas activity of CYP2A6 did not differ between sexes. Skatole levels in the liver were higher in male pigs than in female pigs. Neither skatole levels nor enzyme activities were affected by hCG stimulation. It was concluded that the incidence of boar taint may depend on both the amount of skatole reaching the liver, and the activities of enzymes involved in skatole metabolism.

A study was conducted to determine efficiency of an organic acids additive on pigs metabolic processes and diggestive tract microflora. The pigs of control group were fed without an organic acids additive. The feed of the trial group piglets contained 6 kg of organic acids additive per tonne feed, for starter pigs - 4 kg per tonne feed, for finished pigs - 3 kg per tonne feed. The study indicated that at the age of 130 days, pig mass in the trial group was 54.08 kg an average, but in the control group - 51.06 kg, which showed that pigs from the trial group had by 6% higher average mass than in the control group (p is less than 0.005). At the age of 160 days, pig mass in the trial group was an average 94.3 kg, in the control group - 90.63 kg; pigs from the trial group had by 4% higher mass than in the control group (p is less than 0.005). Feed consumption for the trial group was by 1% less than in the control group. Average daily gain for the trial group was 0.663 kg, which was by 6% more than for the control group pigs (p is less than 0.005). Feed conversion in the trial group was 3.06 kg, but in the control group - 3.275 kg, i.e. 6.4% higher than in the trial group. Analyses of Jejunum microflora showed that use of acidifier additive reduced Mould colony formed units - CFU amount in 1 g of the trial group sample by 6%. Staphylococcus species amount in the trial group was 500 CFU in 1 g of sample, but in the control group - 40000 CFU, i.e. 80 times more. In the trial group, Lactic acid bacteria CFU amount in 1 g of sample was by 6% higher than in the control group. The results of Rectum microflora analyses showed that Staphylococcus species amount in the trial group was 12000 CFU in 1 g of sample, but in the control group it was by 34% higher.