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Alternative rearing systems in pigs: consequences on stress indicators at slaughter and meat quality

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 June 2011

A. Foury ,
B. Lebret ,
P. Chevillon ,
A. Vautier ,
C. Terlouw  and
P. Mormède
A. Foury
Affiliation:
PsyNuGen, Université Victor Segalen Bordeaux 2, UMR 1286 INRA, F-33076 Bordeaux, France
B. Lebret
Affiliation:
INRA, UMR1079 Systèmes d'Elevage Nutrition Animale et Humaine, F-35590 Saint-Gilles, France
P. Chevillon
Affiliation:
Pôle Génétique, IFIP Institut du Porc, F-35651 Le Rheu cedex, France
A. Vautier
Affiliation:
Pôle Génétique, IFIP Institut du Porc, F-35651 Le Rheu cedex, France
C. Terlouw
Affiliation:
INRA, UR 1213 Unité de Recherches sur les Herbivores, F-63122 Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France
P. Mormède*
Affiliation:
PsyNuGen, Université Victor Segalen Bordeaux 2, UMR 1286 INRA, F-33076 Bordeaux, France
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Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of three alternative (ALT) rearing systems for growing pigs (outdoor: 150 m2/pig; straw bedding: 1.30 m2/pig; and hut with access to a courtyard: 1.30 m2/pig) compared with a conventional system (fully slatted floor: 0.65 m2/pig, considered as control), on pre-slaughter stress indicators in relation with meat quality. To that end, the number of skin lesions on whole carcasses, as well as blood creatine kinase (CK) activity and urine levels in cortisol and catecholamines (adrenaline and noradrenaline) were determined at slaughter. Glycolytic potential (GP) and ultimate pH of the semimembranosus muscle were also measured. The global correlation network calculated between all these parameters shows that the indicators of pre-slaughter muscle activity (plasma CK) and/or stress indicators (e.g. adrenaline) are negatively (r = −0.26, P < 0.01; r = −0.29, P < 0.05, respectively) correlated with muscle GP and positively (r = 0.17, P < 0.05; r = 0.44, P < 0.001, respectively) with meat ultimate pH. Although some traits measured were sensitive to the degree of pre-slaughter mixing, they differed across rearing systems. The differences were most pronounced for the comparison of outdoors v. slatted floor. The lower levels of plasma CK and urinary catecholamines, and the lower number of carcass skin lesions of pigs reared outdoors, were related to a lower meat ultimate pH. Thus, ALT rearing systems influence animal welfare and meat quality, by providing enriched environmental conditions to the animals.

Keywords

rearing systemstressmeat qualitypigs
Type
Full Paper
Information
animal , Volume 5 , Issue 10 , 26 August 2011 , pp. 1620 - 1625
Copyright
Copyright © The Animal Consortium 2011

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