PREDICTING POST-SLAUGHTER MUSCLE GLYCOGEN CONTENT AND DARKCUTTING

PIGHIN, D.G.; WARNER, ROBYN D.; BROWN, WAYNE; FERGUSON, DREWE M.; FISHER, ANDREW D.

Jeju (Corea del Sur)

Congreso; 56th International Congress of Meat Science and Technology (ICoMST); 2010

Exposure to pre-slaughter stress may decrease muscle glycogen content, a key element for a suitable low ultimate pH and prevention of dark-cutting meat. The measurement of body temperature is a tool used in animal stress studies to quantify the impact of the specific stressors, particularly those that elicit fear responses. The relationships between body temperature of sheep and post-mortem muscle glycogen concentration was investigated in the present study, using forty cross-bred female lambs. Body temperature was measured with intravaginal loggers inserted into each animal 5 days pre-slaughter, to record body temperature every 3 min over a period of 3 days. Blood samples were collected from each animal at exsanguination for measurement of glucose and lactic acid concentrations. The concentration of glycogen and lactate were determined in samples of longissimus thoracis collected at 1 h post-slaughter. A plot of body temperature over time shows a rise in body temperature, from all animals, during events such as mustering, loading onto the truck, during mustering for slaughter, and also, at slaughter. Pearson correlation coefficients were determined between the main temperature increments occurring between farm and slaughter and post-slaughter muscle glycogen and lactate levels. The initial change in body temperature, in response to mustering on the farm, showed the highest correlation with muscle glycogen (r=-0.455; P<0.01). Body temperature rise in response to several handling events and ultimate pH in the semitendinosus (a stress-sensitive muscle) was also correlated (r=0.349; P>0.05). Further research is warranted in the study of the relationship between body temperature monitoring and meat quality parameters, in order to understand the complex relationship between animal stress and meat quality. Further research is warranted in the study of the relationship between body temperature monitoring and meat quality parameters, in order to understand the complex relationship between animal stress and meat quality. temperature, from all animals, during events such as mustering, loading onto the truck, during mustering for slaughter, and also, at slaughter. Pearson correlation coefficients were determined between the main temperature increments occurring between farm and slaughter and post-slaughter muscle glycogen and lactate levels. The initial change in body temperature, in response to mustering on the farm, showed the highest correlation with muscle glycogen (r=-0.455; P<0.01). Body temperature rise in response to several handling events and ultimate pH in the semitendinosus (a stress-sensitive muscle) was also correlated (r=0.349; P>0.05). Further research is warranted in the study of the relationship between body temperature monitoring and meat quality parameters, in order to understand the complex relationship between animal stress and meat quality. Further research is warranted in the study of the relationship between body temperature monitoring and meat quality parameters, in order to understand the complex relationship between animal stress and meat quality.