1 research outputs found
Effect of slaughter handling conditions and animal temperament on bovine meat quality markers
The aim of this research was to study the
effect of different handling conditions on
physiological stress indicators and meat quality of
beef cattle by studying animals with different
temperaments. Forty animals classified by their
temperament (calm and disturbed) were used.
They were fed on pastures and finished with a
mixed diet of corn grain and pasture. Biochemical
indicators of animal stress were measured at
slaughter (packed cell volume -PCV-, proteins,
glucose, creatinine, alkaline phosphatase -AP-
activity, cortisol, insulin, glycogen). Also, ultimate
pH and instrumental colour were chosen as meat
quality markers. Animal temperament showed a
significantly increase (p<0.05) on PCV levels and
a significantly (p<0.05) decrease on muscle
glycogen. Besides, levels of plasma glucose and
total proteins showed significant (p<0.05)
differences associated to management applied.
Meat quality markers (pH and colour) did not show
significant differences according to handling
conditions or temperament. Mean cortisol levels at
the exsanguination time were significantly higher
(p<0.05) than the values obtained one week prior
to slaughter, which suggests an important effect
of stress associated to slaughter procedures. It
would be interesting to focus attention on the
assessment of acute stress at abattoir, in order to
improve handling protocols, and therefore to assure
meat quality in Argentinean beef production
systems.El objetivo del presente trabajo fue estudiar el
efecto de diferentes condiciones de manejo sobre
indicadores fisiol贸gicos de estr茅s y de calidad de
carne en bovinos con temperamentos contras-
tantes. Se utilizaron cuarenta animales clasifica-
dos como calmos y excitables. Los mismos fue-
ron alimentados inicialmente a base de pasturas y
terminados con una dieta mixta de grano de ma铆z
y pasturas. Se dosaron indicadores bioqu铆micos
de estr茅s (hematocrito, prote铆nas plasm谩ticas,
glucosa, creatinina, actividad fosfatasa alcalina,
cortisol, insulina, contenido muscular de gluc贸-
geno). Como indicadores de calidad de carne se
midieron el pH de 24 h y color instrumental. El
temperamento animal demostr贸 un incremento
significativo (p<0,05) en los niveles de hematocrito
y con una disminuci贸n significativa (p<0,05) del
gluc贸geno muscular. Los niveles de glucemia y de
prote铆nas totales mostraron modificaciones signi-
ficativas (p<0,05) asociadas con el manejo. El
incremento (p<0,05) en los niveles plasm谩ticos de
cortisol durante la faena, independientemente del
tratamiento o el temperamento animal, sugiere un
importante efecto estresor por parte del proceso
de faena. Ser铆a interesante centrar la atenci贸n en
el estudio del estr茅s agudo, a fin de mejorar
protocolos de manejo animal, y consecuentemen-
te, optimizar la calidad de la carne asociada en los
sistemas de producci贸n de Argentina