Effects of various pre-slaughter conditions on pig carcasses and meat quality in a low-input slaughter facility

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of gender, slaughter weight, stocking density, lairage time and season on carcass and meat quality parameters in a low-input production system. The study was conducted on 400 slaughter pigs (200 barrows and 200 gilts) with live weight of 115.0 ± 4.70 kg. Barrows had higher slaughter and carcass weights, fat thickness and lower meatiness. Heavier pigs had higher hot and cold carcass weights, fat thickness, lower meatiness, and higher incidences of pale, soft and exudative (PSE) and dark, firm and dry (DFD) meat. Low stocking density during transportation increased skin lesion score, pH45 value and the incidence of DFD meat; while high stocking density decreased pH45 value and increased T45 value and the incidence of PSE meat. Long lairaging reduced slaughter weight, carcass weight, dressing percentage and backfat thickness and increased skin lesion score. After overnight lairaging, pH45 value and the incidence of DFD meat became higher. After short lairaging, the pH45 value was lower, while the incidence of PSE meat increased. Pigs slaughtered in winter had the highest slaughter weight, backfat thickness, pH45 value and incidence of DFD, and the lowest meatiness. Pigs slaughtered in summer had the lowest slaughter and carcass weights and pH45 value, and the highest incidence of PSE meat. In conclusion, gender influenced carcass quality, slaughter weight and lairage time, and season affected carcass and meat quality, while stocking density had an impact on meat quality.Keywords: DFD meat, gender, lairage time, low-input slaughter system, PSE meat, season, slaughter weight, stocking densit

The interactive effects of transportation and lairage time on welfare indicators, carcass and meat quality traits in slaughter pigs

This study assessed the effects of transportation and lairage time and their interaction on welfare, carcass and meat quality traits in slaughter pigs under commercial conditions. The study was conducted on 120 pigs with a live weight of approximately 115 kg and about six months old. A complete blood picture was measured in pigs to assess preslaughter stress. Also, nine different carcass quality parameters including live weight, hot and cold carcass weights, cooling loss, dressing percentage, backfat thickness, meatiness and skin lesions score were measured. The pH and temperature measurements were performed 45 minutes post-mortem. The results showed that short transportation time and slaughtering without lairaging and long transportation time and overnight lairaging negatively influenced the hematological parameters, which meant that the animal welfare was seriously compromised under these pre-slaughter conditions. Long transportation time and overnight lairaging reduced live and carcass weights and increased the incidence of skin lesions on the carcass and DFD pork. In addition, short transportation time and slaughtering without lairaging caused a significant deterioration in pork quality. It can be concluded that, from the standpoint of animal welfare, carcass and meat quality, the above-mentioned pre-slaughter conditions are not recommended to the farmers and/or pork producers

Effects of various pre-slaughter conditions on pig carcasses and meat quality in a low-input slaughter facility

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of gender, slaughter weight, stocking density, lairage time and season on carcass and meat quality parameters in a low-input production system. The study was conducted on 400 slaughter pigs (200 barrows and 200 gilts) with live weight of 115.0 +/- 4.70 kg. Barrows had higher slaughter and carcass weights, fat thickness and lower meatiness. Heavier pigs had higher hot and cold carcass weights, fat thickness, lower meatiness, and higher incidences of pale, soft and exudative (PSE) and dark, firm and dry (DFD) meat. Low stocking density during transportation increased skin lesion score, pH(45) value and the incidence of DFD meat; while high stocking density decreased pH45 value and increased T-45 value and the incidence of PSE meat. Long lairaging reduced slaughter weight, carcass weight, dressing percentage and backfat thickness and increased skin lesion score. After overnight lairaging, pH(45) value and the incidence of DFD meat became higher. After short lairaging, the pH45 value was lower, while the incidence of PSE meat increased. Pigs slaughtered in winter had the highest slaughter weight, backfat thickness, pH(45) value and incidence of DFD, and the lowest meatiness. Pigs slaughtered in summer had the lowest slaughter and carcass weights and pH(45) value, and the highest incidence of PSE meat. In conclusion, gender influenced carcass quality, slaughter weight and lairage time, and season affected carcass and meat quality, while stocking density had an impact on meat quality

UTICAJ VAKUUM-PAKOVANJA I PAKOVANJA SA MODIFIKOVANOM ATMOSFEROM NA SADRŽAJ UKUPNOG ISPARLJIVOG AZOTA I SENZORNU OCENU MLEVENOG MESA

..

The influence of pre-mortem conditions on pale, Soft and Exudative (PSE) and Dark firm and dry (DFD) pork meat

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of gender, stocking density in the transport vehicle, lairage time and season on the incidence of skin lesions on pig carcasses and PSE and DFD meat. Skin lesions on carcasses (480, in total) were assessed according to the Welfare Quality® protocol (2009). The pH and temperature measurements were performed 45 minutes after slaughter. The group of carcasses with skin lesions score 2 had significantly higher incidence of PSE and DFD meat compared to the groups of carcasses with skin lesions score 0 and 1. With regard to gender, there were no differences in meat quality parameters, as well as for the incidence of skin lesions and PSE and DFD meat. The results showed that a space allowance lower than 0.3 m2/100 kg and higher than 0.5 m2/100 kg pig had a detrimental effect to animal welfare and meat quality. Lairage time affected meat quality parameters, incidence of skin lesions score and PSE and DFD meat, where after long lairaging (> 17 h) mean pH45 and t45 values became significantly higher, as well as the incidence of skin lesions and DFD meat. After short lairaging (< 1 h) mean pH45 value became significantly lower, while mean t45 value and the incidence of PSE meat became significantly higher. A significantly higher number of skin lesions on the carcass were observed in winter compared to all other seasons. High temperatures during summer and low temperatures during winter had a negative influence on meat quality parameters and incidence of PSE and DFD meat