The effects of pre-slaughter selection of reindeer bulls (Rangifer tarandus tarandus L.) on technological and sensory meat quality, blood metabolites and abomasal lesions

Thirty reindeer bulls (age 1 1/2 years) were subjected to different pre-slaughter treatments to study the effects on ultimate pH values, muscle glycogen content, blood metabolites and abomasal lesions. Gathering and herding into a grazing corral were followed by various selection procedures. Before starting these, a control group of 10 reindeer were captured by lasso and slaughtered outside the grazing corral. Ten reindeer were then selected by hand from a small group of animals (100-150 head) in a small selection corral. Another 10 reindeer were selected from a large herd of about 1000-2000 animals, by the traditional technique of using a lasso. During a 6-hour selection, animals were captured and slaughtered after 1.5 hours (n = 2), 3-5 hours (n = 2), 5 hours (n = 3) and 6 hours (n=3) respectively. The results showed the technique of using a lasso to be stressful and glycogen-depleting, as the two lasso captured groups (the control group and the reindeer exposed to the protracted lasso selection) had the highest ultimate pH values and lowest muscle glycogen values measured. By contrast, the selection procedure where reindeer were captured by hand, was not found to be detrimental to glycogen content and ultimate pH values. Nevertheless, both selection techniques expose the reindeer to acute stress during the capture and manual restraint, which in the present study was reflected in high plasma Cortisol values in all treatment groups. The frequency of abomasal lesions was highest in the group of reindeer subjected to the prolonged selection procedure. No connection between technological and sensory meat quality was found in this study. The technique of selecting animals by hand ought to be further developed so that existing practical problems can be solved. The technique could then be recommended for wider use

Cholesterol concentration in bovine blood plasma relation with growth rate alkaline phosphatase activity and thyroxine degradation

International audienc

Pre-slaughter handling of reindeer bulls {Rangifer tarandus tarandus L.) — effects on technological and sensory meat quality, blood metabolites and muscular and abomasal lesions

Forty-one reindeer bulls (age 1 1/2 years) were subjected to different pre-slaughter treatments: herding for a short distance to a grazing corral, selection by use of a lasso, lorry transport and helicopter herding for 1, 2 and 3 days respectively. As control, 9 reindeer were shot without previous handling (in the mountains). The results indicated the traditional selection technique of using a lasso to be the most stressful and glycogen-depleting handling procedure so far studied. In the lasso-selected reindeer the lowest glycogen values and the highest ultimate pH values in the meat were measured. The values of the measured parameters indicating stress (aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT), urea, Cortisol and abomasal lesions) were also highest in these reindeer. By contrast, the modern method of herding by helicopter was not found to be detrimental to glycogen content, ultimate pH, the measured blood metabolites, or the frequency of abomasal lesions. In all treatment groups degenerative lesions were observed in the skeletal muscles. No relarionship between technological and sensory meat quality characteristics and skeletal muscle lesions in reindeer could, however, be found in this study. The study confirmed an earlier finding that a 'stress-flavour' could develop in reindeer meat after intensive pre-slaughter handling of the animals. Further study of when and how such "stress-flavour" develops ought to be undertaken

Tremorogeni učinci ekstrakata plijesni izoliranih iz prašine drveta u štakora

Among workers in the Swedish wood industry acute alveolitis, known as “woodtrimmer\u27s disease” has been recognized for some time. One of the signs in the acute phase of the disease is transitory tremor. The etiology of the disease is still not clearly understood, but it is assumed to be associated with wood dust containing fungal spores. One of the dominant fungal strains isolated from wood at the saw-mills was found to be Aspergillus fumigatus. As it is known that Aspergillus fumigatus has the ability to produce tremorgenic mycotoxins, the moulds from the working environment were isolated, cultivated and tested for the ability to produce mycotoxins, to estimate a possible relation between fungal spores and tremorgenic effects. Extracts of moulds were prepared and tested on rats after oral administration. The ability to induce tremors in rats was found in six out of nine extracts tested. A very good agreement was found between the results of the chemical analysis of extracts and those of the study in vivo. The results imply that woodtrimmer\u27s disease may at least partly, be mycotoxicosis.U Švedskoj, u radnika zaposlenih u drvnoj industriji, javlja se akutni alveolitis poznat i pod nazivom Woodtrimmer\u27s disease, popraćen prolaznim tremorom. Pojava je nepoznate etiologije ali se povezuje s izloženošću drvenoj prašini u kojoj se nalaze spore različitih plijesni. Aspergillus fumigatus je plijesan koja se najčešće izolira u sušarama drveta. Iz radne sredine izolirane su plijesni Aspergillus flavusa te je nakon kultivacije testirana njihova sposobnost stvaranja tremorogenih mikotoksina analitičkim metodama i u pokusima na štakorima. Ekstrakti plijesni aplicirani su pokusnim životinjama oralno. Šest od devet ekstrakata izazvalo je pojavu tremora u tretiranih životinja. Nađena je vrlo dobra korelacija rezultata kemijskih analiza i rezultata dobivenih u pokusima in vivo. Podaci upućuju na moguću vezu između Woodtrimmer\u27s disease i izloženosti radnika tremorogenim mikotoksinima

A new low mass for the Hercules dSph: the end of a common mass scale for the dwarfs?

We present a new mass estimate for the Hercules dwarf spheroidal galaxy (dSph), based on the revised velocity dispersion obtained by Aden et al. (2009, arXiv:0908.3489). The removal of a significant foreground contamination using newly acquired Stromgren photometry has resulted in a reduced velocity dispersion. Using this new velocity dispersion of 3.72 +/- 0.91 km/s, we find a mass of M_300=1.9^{+1.1}_{-0.8} 10^6 M_sun within the central 300 pc, which is also the half-light radius, and a mass of M_433=3.7_{-1.6}^{+2.2} 10^6 M_sun within the reach of our data to 433 pc, significantly lower than previous estimates. We derive an overall mass-to-light ratio of M_433/L=103^{+83}_{-48} M_sun/L_sun. Our mass estimate calls into question recent claims of a common mass scale for dSph galaxies. Additionally, we find tentative evidence for a velocity gradient in our kinematic data of 16 +/- 3 km/s/kpc, and evidence of an asymmetric extension in the light distribution at about 0.5 kpc. We explore the possibility that these features are due to tidal interactions with the Milky Way. We show that there is a self-consistent model in which Hercules has an assumed tidal radius of r_t = 485 pc, an orbital pericentre of r_p = 18.5 +/- 5 kpc, and a mass within r_t of M_{tid,r_t}=5.2 +/- 2.7 10^6 M_sun. Proper motions are required to test this model. Although we cannot exclude models in which Hercules contains no dark matter, we argue that Hercules is more likely to be a dark matter dominated system which is currently experiencing some tidal disturbance of its outer parts.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures, Accepted for publication by ApJ

A field study of management stress in reindeer (Rangifer tarandus L)

The impact of stress was studied in semidomesticated reindeer subjected to various herding and handling methods. In herded and handled animals, stress lesions were found, such as abomasal haemorrhage, muscular and myocardial degeneration and marked changes in blood constituents. The degree of change was dependent of the magnitude of stress the animal had been exposed to. Manual handling and restraint was found to be one of the major stress factors. There were evident indications of a cumulative effect of repeated stress events. The use of motor vehicles (helicopter and snow-scooter), for herding and transporting the animals, was found to be an important stress factor. It is concluded that various herding and handling methods studied in the present investigation led to varying degrees of deleterious effects on the health of the animals and a poorer meatquality from slaughtered animals. Hence herding should be undertaken as carefully as possible, the time taken for manual handling should be minimized, and the corrals be so constructed as to cause a minimum of disturbance, capture and restraint. Transportation should be undertaken very cautiously with as little manual handling as possible during loading and unloading. To obtain a good meat quality, animals to be slaughtered should be subjected to a minimum of handling, i.e. slaughter should take place as quickly as possible. Transportation of live animals to slaughterhouses and the keeping of animals in corrals, pens or crates whilst awaiting slaughter will result in a lowered meat quality and should therefore be avoided.En fåltstudie av stress hos ren i samband med olika hanteringsformer.Abstract in Swedish / Sammanfatning: Betydelsen av stress hos ren studerades i hjordar i vilka olika typer av samlings- och hanteringsmetoder anvandes. I samtliga hjordar som utsatts for olika former av drivning forelag hos slaktdjur skador betingade av stress i form av magblodningar, muskelsonderfall och forandringar i blodbilden. De funna skadorna och forandringarna var beroende av den grad av stress som djuren utsatts for. Manuell hantering och inskrankning av djurens rorelsefrihet befanns vara en av de huvudsakliga stressfaktorerna. Det forelag åvenledes en stark indikation på en kumulativ effekt av upprepad stress. Anvandning av motorfordon (helikopter, snoskoter) vid drivning samt vågtransport av levande djur befanns vara betydande stressfaktorer. Det kan fastslås att de olika hanteringsformerna inneburit olika grader av stress. Graden av stresspåverkan innebår olika grader av negativa effekter dels allmånt for djurens hålsotillstånd dels for en forsåmrad kottkvalitet. Sålunda bor drivningar foretagas så forsiktigt som mojligt och tiden for manuell hantering goras så kort som mpjlig. Dårtill bor gårdor konstrueras så att yttre storning, manuell hantering och begrånsning av djurens rorelsefrihet minimeras. Transporter bor genomforas med forsiktighet och med undvikande av manuell hantering vid lastning och lossning. Slakt bor foretagas omedelbart, dvs vid gårdan. Transport av levande djur, samt hållandet av djur i gårdor eller fillor i vantan på slakt innebår att kottkvaliteten forsåmras och bor således undvikas.Kenttâtutkimus porojen stressistâ erilaisten kâsittelymuotojen yhteydessà.Abstract in Finnish / Yhteenveto: Stressin merkitystâ poroissa tutkitaan laumoissa, joissa kàytetààn erilaisia kokoamis - ja kàsittelymenetelmià. Kaikissa laumoissa, jotka olivat joutuneet alttiiksi erilaisille ajomuodoille, oli teuraselàimissâ stressin aiheuttamia vammoja mahaverenvuotojen, lihasrappeutumien ja verikuvan muutosten muodossa. Lôydetyt vammat ja muutokset olivat stressin aiheuttamat siina suhteessa kuin elaimet olivat siihen joutuneet. Kàsin pitely ja elàinten liikuntavapauden rajoittuminen havaittiin olevan yksi pààsiallisista stressintekijôistà. Oli esillà myôs voimakas osoitus kasvavan vaikutuksen toistuvasta stressistâ. Moottoriajoneuvojen (helikopteri, moottori-kelkka) kàyttô ajossa sekà elàvien elàinten tiekuljetus nayttivàt olevan merkittàvià stressitekijôità. Voidaan todeta, ettà erilaiset kasittelymuodot ovat aiheuttaneet stressin erilaisia asteita. Stressin vaikutuksen taso aiheutti eri asteisia negatiivisia vaikutuksia osittain huonontuneeseen lihan laatuun. Nainollen pitàà ajot suorittaa niin varovaisesti kuin mahdollista ja aika kàsin pitelyyn tehtàvà niin lyhyeksi kuin mahdollista. Sen lisàksi pitàà aidât rakentaa niin, ettà ulkoista hàirintàà, kàsin pitelyà ja elàinten liikuntavapauden rajoitusta vàhennetààn. Kuljetukset pitàà suorittaa varovaisuudella ja koettaa vàlttàà kàsin pitelyà kuormauksessa ja purkauksessa. Teurastaminen pitàà suorittaa vâlittômàsti, toisin sanoen aidan luona. Elàvien elàinten kuljetus, sekà elàinten pitàminen aitauksissa tai tarhoissa teurastamista odotellessa aiheuttaa lihalaadun huonontumiseen ja pitàà nàin ollen vàlttàà

Skew Category Algebras Associated with Partially Defined Dynamical Systems

We introduce partially defined dynamical systems defined on a topological space. To each such system we associate a functor $s$ from a category $G$ to \Top^{\op} and show that it defines what we call a skew category algebra $A \rtimes^{\sigma} G$. We study the connection between topological freeness of $s$ and, on the one hand, ideal properties of $A \rtimes^{\sigma} G$ and, on the other hand, maximal commutativity of $A$ in $A \rtimes^{\sigma} G$. In particular, we show that if $G$ is a groupoid and for each e \in \ob(G) the group of all morphisms $e \rightarrow e$ is countable and the topological space $s(e)$ is Tychonoff and Baire, then the following assertions are equivalent: (i) $s$ is topologically free; (ii) $A$ has the ideal intersection property, that is if $I$ is a nonzero ideal of $A \rtimes^{\sigma} G$, then $I \cap A \neq \{0\}$; (iii) the ring $A$ is a maximal abelian complex subalgebra of $A \rtimes^{\sigma} G$. Thereby, we generalize a result by Svensson, Silvestrov and de Jeu from the additive group of integers to a large class of groupoids.Comment: 16 pages. This article is an improvement of, and hereby a replacement for, version 1 (arXiv:1006.4776v1) entitled "Category Dynamical Systems and Skew Category Algebras

Ultimate pH values in reindeer meat with particular regard to animal sex and age, muscle and transport distance

The distribution of ultimate pH values and the frequency of high pH values in three reindeer muscles (AL longissimus, M. biceps femoris and M. triceps brachii) from bulls, cows and calves after short and long distance transport were studied. About 3400 reindeer carcasses from 12 different herds were included in this study. The post mortem processes in reindeer meat seemed to develop very rapidly, and therefore an early measurement (approx. 15h post mortem) of ultimate pH can be done without electrical stimulation of the carcasses. In a comparison between muscles, M. triceps brachii had a higher ultimate pH value than M. longissimus and M. biceps femoris. Meat from reindeer calves had higher ultimate pH values than meat from adult animals, indicating that calves are more susceptible to stress than adult animals and hence deplete their energy stores more readily. Road transport by lorry did not cause any increase in ultimate pH values in bulls and calves. Reindeer cows, however, did have an increase in ultimate pH, while more borderline cases of DFD (5.80<pH<6.20) were observed when cows were transported over more than 500 km. The physical condition and energy balance of the animals before transport were suggested to determine their ability to tolerate transport stress

Influence of slaughter age and carcass suspension on meat quality in Angus heifers

This study investigated the effects of pelvic suspension and slaughter age on longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) from 40 heifers with at least 75% Angus breeding. A total of 20 heifers were slaughtered directly from pasture at 18 months of age, and carcass sides were hung either by the Achilles tendon or the pelvic bone. The other 20 heifers were assigned to an additional winter housing period and slaughtered at 22 months of age; carcass sides were hung only by Achilles suspension. All carcasses were electrically stimulated and assessed according to the EUROP carcass classification system. In addition, the LTL muscles were aged for 7 or 14 days before meat quality was evaluated for intramuscular fat (IMF), drip loss, colour, shear force, compression and sensory analysis. The 22-month-old heifers were heavier, fatter and had more IMF than 18-month-old heifers. Conformation scores (muscling) did not differ between the two slaughter groups. Pelvic suspension reduced both between- and within-animal variation for peak force, total energy and compression peak force. For the 18-month-old heifers, pelvic suspension also decreased peak force, total energy and compression variables for the LTL muscles from both ageing periods, whereas Achilles-suspended samples had lower shear force values only at day 14. Sensory analysis showed that pelvic-suspended sides had greater tenderness, lower bite resistance, less threadiness, higher juiciness and meat flavour and less visible marbling than meat from Achilles-suspended sides. Pelvic-suspended sides at 18 months of age were similar in peak force and total energy values to the 22-month-old heifers. The importance of ageing the Achilles-suspended sides was more obvious for samples from 18-month-old heifers than from the 22-month-old animals. The correlations between the different instrumental measurements and sensory tenderness were considerably higher for carcasses suspended by the Achilles tendon (r = -520.55 to 0.20) than for those hung by the pelvic bone (r = -520.25 to 0.19). More correlations between sensory-evaluated tenderness and shear variables were significant after 7 days (n = 6) of ageing than after 14 days (n = 4) of ageing. This study clearly shows the benefits of pelvic suspension, which reduces the need for additional feeding after pasture