Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-g7gxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-09T06:42:40.072Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A note on the effect of stocking density and temperature on meat quality in pigs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

H. J. Guise  and
P. D. Warriss
H. J. Guise
Affiliation:
CAMBAC JMA Research Ltd, 1 Castle Street, Wallingford OX10 8DL
P. D. Warriss
Affiliation:
AFRC Institute of Food Research, Bristol Laboratory, Langford, Bristol BS18 7DY
Get access

Abstract

One hundred and eighty-four Large White × Landrace pigs were transported 192 km to slaughter at stocking densities of either 0·3 or 0·4 m2 per 100 kg live weight and at ambient temperatures of >14°C or <10°C. After holding for 3 h in lairage and slaughter by normal practices, samples of m. semimembranosus were removed 45 min after exsanguination. Overall, pigs transported under cold conditions had a slightly lower mean pH45 (0·12 difference, P < 0·05) in the muscle but there were no effects of treatment on ultimate pH or R-value, a measure of the ratio of high energy phosphate compounds to their metabolites. Over 11% of the pigs had ultimate pH values 5·9. This may imply that the pre-slaughter handling had led to some material glycogen depletion. In view of the lack of major effects of stocking density or temperature during transport, it is likely that factors other than the treatments were contributors to this condition and were more important in determining subsequent meat quality.

Type
Notes
Information
Animal Production , Volume 48 , Issue 2 , April 1989 , pp. 480 - 482
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1989

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Barton, P. A. 1971. Some experience on the effect of pre-slaughter treatment on the meat quality of pigs with low stress-resistance. Proceedings of 2nd International Symposium on the Condition and Meat Quality of Pigs, Zeist, pp. 180–190. Pudoc, pWageningen.Google Scholar
Blomquist, S. M. and Jorgensen, T. W. 1963. Transport of live pigs from farm to bacon factory. Proceedings of 3rd Symposium of the World Association of Veterinary Food Hygienists, Nice, France, 1962, pp. 108–120.Google Scholar
Gerber, H.-D. 1984. [Road transport of slaughter swine at two different loading densities. Examination of serum enzymes, meat quality, pancreas and myocardium.] Inaugural Dissertation, Free University of Berlin. (Abstracted in Veterinary Bulletin 55: 729).Google Scholar
Honikel, K. O. and Fischer, C. 1977. A rapid method for the detection of PSE and DFD porcine muscles. Journal of Food Science 42: 1633.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lambooy, E., Garssen, G. J., Walstra, P., Mateman, F. and Merkus, G. S. M. 1985. Transport of pigs by car for two days; some aspects of watering and loading density. Livestock Production Science 13: 289–299.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Meat and Livestock Commission. 1980. Handling pigs from farm to slaughterhouse. Technical Bulletin, No. 14. Meat and Livestock Commission, Bletchley.Google Scholar
Warriss, P. D. 1986. The effect of time and conditions of transport and lairage on pigmeat quality. In Evaluation and Control of Meat Quality in Pigs (ed. Tarrant, P. V., Eikelenboom, G. and Monin, G.), pp. 245–264. Martinus Nijhoff, Dordrecht.Google Scholar