Effect of transportation on ostrich (Struthio camelus) weight loss and meat quality
The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of different transport distances on ostrich meat quality parameters, weight loss, and dressing percentage. Twenty-four ostriches were transported for 0 (T0), 60 (T60) and 600 (T600) km before being slaughtered. There was a significant difference (P = 0.038) in the percentage liveweight loss during transport and lairage between T60 km (2.4 ± 2.185%) and T600 km (8.13 ± 1.156%), respectively. There was also a significant difference (P = 0.003) in dressing percentage (farm weight to cold carcass weight) between the two abovementioned groups (T60 = 49.77%; T600 = 46.86%). Treatments also had a significant effect (P < 0.05) on ultimate pH (pHu), with the ostriches that did not travel exhibiting the lowest average pHu (5.77 ± 0.053) and the birds that travelled 600 km having the highest average pHu (6.11 ± 0.053). No differences (P > 0.05) were found in shear force and percentage cooking loss between the treatments, although all three treatments differed significantly (P < 0.05) from each other in drip loss (T0 km = 0.40%; T60 km = 1.36%; T600 km = 0.97%). Significant differences (P < 0.05) were found for L*, b* and hue-angle colour ordinates between the three treatments, while there were no differences (P > 0.05) in a* and chroma values. A significant correlation was found between hue angle (r = 0.528; P = 0.008) and pHu. The results of this study indicate that ostrich transport distance influences liveweight loss and meat quality.