README file

Dataset Title: “Soybeancake_20260114_rawdata” 
Dataset Author/s: 
•	Luca Sardi (Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna), ORCID 0000-0003-0937-8088;
Data Set Contributor/s: 
•	Luca Sardi (Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna), ORCID 0000-0003-0937-8088
•	Simona Belperio (Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna), ORCID 0009-0008-2848-5384;
•	Giovanna Martelli (Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna), ORCID 0000-0002-3137-6700;
•	Eleonora Nannoni (Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna), ORCID 0000-0002-5431-6807
Data Set Contact Person/s: 
•	Luca Sardi (Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna), ORCID 0000-0003-0937-8088, e-mail: luca.sardi@unibo.it
This data set is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0), https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 
Publication Year: 2026
Data set Contents
The dataset consists of:
•	1 README file saved in .rtf format
o	“SOYBEANCAKE_20260114_README.rtf”
•	1 tabular file saved in .xlsx format
o	“SOYBEANCAKE_20260114_raw_data.xlsx”
Abstract
This dataset contains raw data from an experimental trial on the use of a diet containing soybean press cake for heavy pigs. This study evaluated whether mechanically extracted soybean press cake (SC) can fully replace chemically extracted soybean meal (SM) in the diets of heavy pigs used to produce traditional Italian long-cured dry hams (Parma ham). Data collected include production traits, meat and fat quality (assessed both in raw meat and in cured hams).
A total of 80 pigs were divided into two experimental groups (8 pens of 5 animals in each group). One half of the animals was fed a conventional diet containing soybean meal (group SM), and the other half was fed a diet in which soybean meal was completely replaced by soybean press cake (group SC). Diets were isoenergetic and isonitrogenous. Pigs were fattened and finished up to a body weight of 165 kg, when animals were slaughtered, and hams were processed according to the Parma Ham production rules.  
All pigs were weighed on days 1, 113, and 186 of the trial. Daily feed intake was recorded for each pen. 
All carcasses were weighed, carcass composition was estimated (Fat-o-Meater), pH was measured at 45 minutes post-mortem in the Longissimus dorsi and Semimembranosus muscles, and at 24h post-mortem in the Semimembranosus muscle. Loins and thighs were weighed. Color of the Gluteus medius muscle was measured with a colorimeter.
The Longissimus dorsi muscle was sampled in 24 carcasses per experimental group to assess drip loss and cooking loss, chemical composition (moisture, crude protein, intramuscular fat, and ash) and fatty acid composition. The Semimembranosus muscle and subcutaneous fat were sampled from 24 hams for the determination of the chemical composition of the meat sample and the fatty acid composition of both the lean and the fat. The iodine value of the fat was determined.
Thighs (32 per group) were monitored throughout a 24-month dry-curing process. Weight was recorded before and after trimming, after salting, and at the end of dry-curing. At the end of the process, hams were sampled (a slice including the Biceps femoris and Semimembranosus muscles) and visually evaluated by a trained panel for parameters of the lean and fat portions, and for the overall sensory score. The Biceps femoris muscle was analyzed for chemical composition, sodium chloride concentration, and proteolysis index. Subcutaneous fat was analyzed for fatty acid composition, peroxides value, specific UV extinction coefficients K232 (K₁) and K268 (K₂), and Thio-barbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS).
Content of the files:
•	file “SOYBEANCAKE_20260114_raw_data.xlsx” contains raw data of growth performance, meat quality
Methodology
Growth performances: 
Body weight (BW) was individually measured using a calibrated scale on days 1, 113, and 186, and used to calculate the average daily gain (ADG) for each period and across the entire trial. Daily feed intake (FI) was recorded for each pen,and used to calculate the feed conversion ratio (FCR). 
Carcass traits and fresh meat quality: 
Carcasses were weighed, carcass composition was estimated with a Fat-o-Meater (SFK, Copenhagen, Denmark). A portable pH meter (model 250A; Orion Research, Boston, MA) was used to measure the pH at 45 minutes post-mortem in the Longissimus dorsi (between the 4th and the 6th rib) and Semimembranosus muscles. At 24 hours post-mortem, pH of the Semimembranosus muscle was measured. The weigh of loins and thighs was recorded. Instrumental color (L*, a*, and b*) was measured on the Gluteus medius with a Konica Minolta CR-400 colorimeter (Minolta Camera Company, Osaka, Japan) using D65 illuminant, 2° observer angle, and an 8-mm aperture. The posterior end of the Longissimus dorsi muscle was sampled and used to assess drip loss and cooking (as described by Honikel and Sardi et al.), chemical composition (moisture, crude protein, intramuscular fat, and ash) and fatty acid composition (according to AOAC methods).
At trimming, a meat (Semimembranosus muscle), and a subcutaneous fat sample were collected from the hams and analyzed for the chemical composition of the lean sample and the fatty acid composition (of both the lean and the fat samples), according to AOAC methods.
To assess fatty acid composition, total lipids extracted using the Folch method, esterified with 5% methanolic hydrogen chloride, and fatty acid content was analyzed by gas chromatography (HRGC8560 Series Mega 2gas chromatograph; Fisions Instruments, Milan, Italy, fitted with a Supelco SP-2330 capillary column (length: 30m; internal diameter: 0.25 mm; film thickness: 0.2 μm; Supelco, Bellefonte, PA, USA). Iodine value was determined according to AOAC.
Hams quality and visual assessment
Hams were weighed before and after trimming, after salting, and at the end of the dry-curing period. At deboning, hams were sampled (a slice including the Biceps femoris and Semimembranosus muscles). A panel of trained experts visually evaluated each sample Scores were expressed on a scale from 1 to 10 (where 1 = absence of the trait; 10 = maximum presence) for parameters of the lean (texture, color inhomogeneity, and marbling) and of the fat (texture and thickness), and the overall sensory score (ranging from 1 = very bad quality; 10 = optimal characteristics) as reported by Nannoni et al. and Martelli et al. 
The cured Biceps femoris muscle was sampled for chemical analyses (moisture and crude protein according to AOAC, sodium chloride and proteolysis index according to Careri et al. and Baldini et al. Subcutaneous fat samples were analyzed for fatty acid composition (see the method described above) and lipid oxidation, including peroxides value and specific UV extinction coefficients K232 (K₁) and K268 (K₂) (according to AOAC methods), and Thio-barbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) (according to Wang et al.
List of variables
Growth and carcass traits:
Weight 1d, 
Weight 113d 
Final weight (186d)
Average daily gain (ADG):
ADG 1-113d
ADG 113-186d
Total ADG (1-186d)
FCR (feed conversion ratio):
FCR 1-113d
FCR113-186d
Total FCR (1-186d)
Carcass weight (CW), kg		
Carcass yield, %	
F-o-M lean meat, % (carcass composition assessed with the Fat-o- Meater) 	
pH 45’ loin
pH 45’ thigh		
pH 24h thigh
Loin, % of CW 	
Thigh, % of CW
Trimming losses, % 	

Meat quality traits
L* (lightness)
Hue (arctg b/a)
Chroma [square root (a^2+b^2)]
Drip loss, %
Cooking loss, %
umidity loin %
PG loin % 
LG loin %
ASH loin %
Umidity biceps %
PG biceps %
LG biceps %
Ash biceps %

Fatty acid composition (subcutaneous fat, raw and cured hams)
C 14:0, %
C 16:0, %
C 16:1, %
C 18:0, %
C 18:1, %
C 18:2, %
C 18:3, %
C 20:4, %
SFAs, % (Saturated Fatty Acids)
MUFAs,	% (Monounsaturated Fatty Acids)
PUFAs, % (Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids)
IV (Iodine Value) (only for raw subcutaneous fat)

Hams quality (including lipid oxidation)
Humidity, %
Proteolysis index, %
Salt (NaCl), %
Peroxides, meq O2/kg
K1 (232 nm)
K2 (268 nm)
TBARS, MDA mg/kg