Preslaughter stress and muscle energy largely determine pork quality at two commercial processing plants

• Published in: Journal of animal science Vol. 82; no. 5; pp. 1401 - 1409
• Main Authors: Hambrecht, E, Eissen, J. J, Nooijen, R. I. J, Ducro, B. J, Smits, C. H. M, den Hartog, L. A, Verstegen, M. W. A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Savoy, IL Am Soc Animal Sci 01.05.2004; American Society of Animal Science; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Amino acids; Animal productions; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Carbohydrates; Catecholamines - blood; cortisol; Crosses, Genetic; Female; Food industries; Food-Processing Industry; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Glycolysis; Halothane; hampshire pigs; Hogs; Hydrocortisone - blood; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; indicators; Lactic Acid - blood; longissimus muscle; Male; Meat; Meat - standards; Meat and meat product industries; meat quality; Muscle, Skeletal - metabolism; plasma; populations; pre-slaughter; Product quality; Quality Control; Random Allocation; Regression Analysis; Stress; Stress, Physiological - blood; Stress, Physiological - physiopathology; Stress, Physiological - veterinary; stunning method; Swine - blood; Terrestrial animal productions; Vertebrates; Pigs; Farming animal; Lactate; Meat Quality; Glycogen; Meat product; Processing quality; Stress; Pig; Lactates; Vertebrata; Meat animals; Mammalia; Stunning; Energy; Quality; Muscle; Artiodactyla; Slaughter; Ungulata; Pork

The objective of the present experiment was to study physiological changes elicited in response to stress in the immediate preslaughter period and to link them to pork quality characteristics. Crossbred, halothane-free pigs (n = 192) were processed in eight groups (24 pigs per group) on various days...