Cattle handling at abattoirs. I. The effects of rest and resting conditions before slaughter and of electrical stimulation of carcasses on carcass weight and muscle properties

1988 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 87 ◽  
Author(s):  
JR Wythes ◽  
WR Shorthose ◽  
VH Powell
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Stimulation ◽  
Treatment Group ◽  
Ph Value ◽  
Carcass Weight ◽  
Post Mortem ◽  
Muscle Properties ◽  
Muscle Ph ◽  
Access To Water ◽  
Resting Period ◽  
Stimulation Of

In three experiments, we studied the effects of duration of rest and nature of resting conditions before slaughter and of electrical stimulation, on carcass weight, bruising and muscle properties of cattle of known age. In experiment 1, 22 Droughtmaster steers (mean liveweight 284 kg) rested for 2.5 or 26.5 h following a 125 km road journey. In experiment 2, 82 Zebu crossbred cows (mean liveweight 416 kg) rested for 4 or 52 h after a 1310 km rail journey. Those rested for 52 h were allowed to rest either peacefully (P), subjected periodically to noise and disturbances (D) or mixed with unfamiliar cows (M). In experiment 3, 68 Hereford and Simmental x Hereford cows (mean liveweight 445 kg) rested for 28 h, after a 930 km road and rail journey, and during this time were subjected to resting treatments P, D or M. All cattle had access to water until slaughter, and were slaughtered at the same abattoir. All carcasses were electrically stimulated in experiment 1, but only half those in each treatment group in experiments 2 and 3. Electrical stimulation of carcasses had a much greater effect on tenderness than did resting conditions before slaughter. The LD muscles of stimulated carcasses were more tender than those of unstimulated ones. Of the 31 cattle slaughtered after a few hours' rest, only one carcass had a high pH value 24 h post mortem. The LD muscles of cattle rested for 26.5 h were more tender than those of cattle rested for 2.5 h. Resting treatment did not consistently affect mean carcass weight, pH24, time for LD muscle to cool to 20�C or cooking loss. Noise and disturbance during the resting period appeared to be more stressful than mixing (13.6 v. 4.5% carcasses with high muscle pH 24 h post mortem in experiment 3 only). Steers rested for 26.5 h had a higher mean bruise score than those rested for only 2.5 h, but there was no effect of resting time or resting conditions on bruising in cows.

Cattle handling at abattoirs. 3. The effects of feeding, and of different feeds, during the resting period before slaughter on liveweight carcasses and muscle properties

1989 ◽  
Vol 40 (5) ◽  
pp. 1099 ◽  
Author(s):  
JR Wythes ◽  
PJ Round ◽  
GN Johnston ◽  
PC Smith
Keyword(s):  
Rice Straw ◽  
Ph Value ◽  
Liver Weight ◽  
Carcass Weight ◽  
Muscle Properties ◽  
Access To Water ◽  
Ad Libitum ◽  
Native Pastures ◽  
Brahman Steers ◽  
Resting Period

The effects of feeding lucerne hay or rice straw during the resting period before slaughter on live, carcass and liver weights, bruising, the percentages of condemned head and tongues and of rumens with ingesta spillage, and muscle properties of cattle were examined. The 217 British breed and 70 Brahman steers (mean liveweights of 582 and 603 kg) had been grazing native pastures in northern Queensland. They were transported 440 km by road to an abattoir.The seven groups (each 41 steers) had access to water from unloading at the abattoir (late day 2) until slaughter. Three groups (N2, N4 and N6) were not fed, while two groups were fed ad libitum rice straw (RS4 and RS6) and another two groups were fed ad libitum lucerne hay (LH4 and LH6) from day 3 until 24 h before slaughter. The period from mustering to slaughter was 2 days for group N2,4 days for groups N4, RS4 and LH4, and 6 days for N6, RS6 and LH6.Unfed steers lost 4.7% of their pre-transport liveweight after 3 days and 9.1% after 5 days, while the fed steers lost 34% and 6.7%, respectively.Group N2 had a heavier (P<O.05) mean carcass weight than groups N4, RS4, RS6 and LH6 (351 kg compared with 343-344 kg). Both N2 and LH4 (348 kg) were heavier (P< 0.05) than group N6 (340 kg). Trends in mean dressing percentage were the same as for carcass weight. Group N2 had a heavier (P< 0.05) mean liver weight than all other groups, with no effect of feeding treatment. Group N2 and the fed groups (except RS6) had a greater (P< 0.05) mean water content for the M. longus colli than groups N4 and N6.Treatment had no significant effect on mean bruise score, fat thickness, mean pH value of M. longissirnus dorsi 24 h post mortem, the percentage of carcasses with high (>6.00) pH values, and the percentages of heads and tongue condemned due to ingesta contamination and rumens contaminated with ingesta spillage.

Cattle handling at abattoirs. II. The effects of rest in transit and duration of the resting period before slaughter on carcass weight, bruising and muscle properties

1988 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 97 ◽  
Author(s):  
JR Wythes ◽  
RJ Arthur ◽  
RM Dodt ◽  
WR Shorthose
Keyword(s):  
Carcass Weight ◽  
Longissimus Dorsi ◽  
Systematic Effect ◽  
Post Mortem ◽  
Muscle Properties ◽  
Ph Values ◽  
In Transit ◽  
Very High ◽  
Resting Period ◽  
Periods Of Stress

In two experiments, we examined the effects on carcass weight, bruising and muscle properties of resting cattle during a long rail journey and for various periods at an abattoir before slaughter. In experiment 1, 170 Shorthorn bullocks (mean liveweight 556 kg) were transported 90 km by road and 650 km by rail, with three groups (34 per group) going directly to an abattoir and two groups resting once for one day midway during the rail journey. The resting periods at this abattoir were 2, 3, 4,2 and 3 days, respectively. In experiment 2, 240 cows (mean liveweight 424 kg) were transported 190 km by road and 965 km by rail, with three groups (40 per group) going directly to another abattoir, two groups resting once for one day and one group twice for one day during the rail journey. The resting periods at this second abattoir were 1.5, 2.5, 3.5, 1, 2 and 1 day(s), respectively. All cattle had access to feed and water during resting periods and to water until slaughter. As the total resting period after the start of the rail journey and before slaughter increased, the percentage of carcasses with high pH values for M. longissimus dorsi decreased (P < 0.05); correlations for pH 24 h post mortem and ultimate pH were -0.97 and -0.71, respectively. The correlation between total resting period and shear values (initial yield and peak force) were c. -0.5. A resting period during the rail journey was as effective as that time spent resting at the abattoir. Cattle transported directly by rail to the abattoir had a greater bruise score than those rested en route, although cows rested twice were as bruised as those going direct. Treatment had no significant effect on carcass weight or systematic effect on cooking loss. Very high incidences of high ultimate pH values in one group of bullocks (29.4%) and another of cows (20.5%) occurred following periods of stress when slaughtering was interrupted by unavoidable stoppages.

Effects of various rehydration procedures after a long journey on liveweight, carcasses and muscle properties of cattle

1980 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 849 ◽  
Author(s):  
JR Wythes ◽  
WR Shorthose ◽  
PJ Schmidt ◽  
CB Davis
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Carcass Weight ◽  
Longissimus Dorsi ◽  
Post Mortem ◽  
Muscle Properties ◽  
Ph Values ◽  
Muscle Water Content ◽  
Access To Water ◽  
Muscle Water ◽  
In Transit

After a long journey of 1420 km, bullocks were watered without feed for 0, 3.5, 7, 28 or 32 h or watered with feed for 32 h prior to a 16 h preslaughter fast (no water and feed). The 108 bullocks in the first three treatments (36 per treatment) were slaughtered after resting for 1 day and the remaining 108 after resting for 2 days. Bullocks lost 10.4% of initial liveweight (656 kg) in transit. Mean liveweight of 588 kg on arrival increased when bullocks had access to water, so that after 3.5 h on water the net liveweight loss was reduced (P < 0.05) to 6.0 % of initial liveweight and after longer periods the loss varied from 6.8 to 7.3%. The net loss of the group also offered lucerne hay was 6.7%. More importantly, re-hydration increased (P < 0.01) gross hot carcass weight from 369 kg to 383 kg when bullocks were watered for 3.5 and 7 h, 381 kg after 28 h on water alone and 379 kg after 32 h on water and feed. However, this increment was not maintained, since the carcasses of bullocks on water alone for 32 h averaged 376 kg and were lighter (P < 0.05) than those of other bullocks on water. The water content of fat-free muscle reflected the same pattern as carcass weight (P < 0.01), although muscle water content peaked at 78.16% when bullocks were watered for 28 h compared with 76.01 % for those bullocks not offered water. Resting bullocks for 2 days rather than 1 day reduced (P < 0.01) the pH values of the M. longissimus dorsi 24 h post mortem from 5.64 to 5.57.

Pregnancy effects on carcass and meat quality attributes of cows

1990 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 461-468 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. R. Wythes ◽  
W. R. Shorthose ◽  
G. Fordyce ◽  
D. W. Underwood
Keyword(s):  
Meat Quality ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Late Pregnancy ◽  
Peak Force ◽  
Carcass Weight ◽  
Post Mortem ◽  
Muscle Properties ◽  
Pregnancy Status ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Access To Food

ABSTRACTThe effects of pregnancy status (non-pregnant, early to mid (1 to 5 months) and late (> 6 months)) and month of pregnancy on live weight, carcass weight, dressing proportion, bruising and muscle properties were examined in 237 Shorthorn and Brahman crossbred cows (mean live weight 424 kg, 62% pregnant). The cows were transported 1155 km to an abattoir and given access to food and water until slaughter. Mustering to slaughter periods were 5, 6 or 7 days.The mean gross hot carcass weights for the 89 non-pregnant, 108 early to mid pregnant and 40 late pregnant cows were 207, 199 and 187 kg (P < 0·05). Their respective dressing proportions were 487, 469 and 443 g/kg (P < 0·05). Among the pregnant cows, carcass weight and dressing proportion decreased by 2·95 kg and 6 g/kg, respectively, for each month of pregnancy (P < 0·05).Cows in late pregnancy had lower mean initial yield (IY) and peak force (PF) shear values for m.longissimus dorsi (LD) than non-pregnant cows. The late-pregnant cows also had the greatest mean pH 24 h post mortem (pH24) and ultimate pH (pHu) values (P < 0·05). They also had a greater proportion of carcasses with high pHu values than the early to mid-pregnant and non-pregnant cows (0·30 v. 0·157 v. 0·079; (P < 005). Among the pregnant cows, mean pH24 increased by proportionately 0·038 and the proportion of high pH24 carcasses by 0·055 for each month of pregnancy (P < 0·05). Pregnancy status had no significant effect on mean fat depth, bruise score, PF-IY value or cooking loss.

scholarly journals Electrical stimulation of transplanted motoneurons improves motor unit formation

2014 ◽  
Vol 112 (3) ◽  
pp. 660-670 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yang Liu ◽  
Robert M. Grumbles ◽  
Christine K. Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Electrical Stimulation ◽  
Motor Unit ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Muscle Properties ◽  
Frequency Pattern ◽  
Unit Formation ◽  
Muscle Reinnervation ◽  
Stimulation Of ◽  
Embryonic Neurons

Motoneurons die following spinal cord trauma and with neurological disease. Intact axons reinnervate nearby muscle fibers to compensate for the death of motoneurons, but when an entire motoneuron pool dies, there is complete denervation. To reduce denervation atrophy, we have reinnervated muscles in Fisher rats from local transplants of embryonic motoneurons in peripheral nerve. Since growth of axons from embryonic neurons is activity dependent, our aim was to test whether brief electrical stimulation of the neurons immediately after transplantation altered motor unit numbers and muscle properties 10 wk later. All surgical procedures and recordings were done in anesthetized animals. The muscle consequences of motoneuron death were mimicked by unilateral sciatic nerve section. One week later, 200,000 embryonic day 14 and 15 ventral spinal cord cells, purified for motoneurons, were injected into the tibial nerve 10–15 mm from the gastrocnemii muscles as the only neuron source for muscle reinnervation. The cells were stimulated immediately after transplantation for up to 1 h using protocols designed to examine differential effects due to pulse number, stimulation frequency, pattern, and duration. Electrical stimulation that included short rests and lasted for 1 h resulted in higher motor unit counts. Muscles with higher motor unit counts had more reinnervated fibers and were stronger. Denervated muscles had to be stimulated directly to evoke contractions. These results show that brief electrical stimulation of embryonic neurons, in vivo, has long-term effects on motor unit formation and muscle force. This muscle reinnervation provides the opportunity to use patterned electrical stimulation to produce functional movements.

Effect of method of sale and various water regimens at saleyards on the liveweight, carcass traits and muscle properties of cattle

1983 ◽  
Vol 23 (122) ◽  
pp. 235 ◽  
Author(s):  
JR Wythes ◽  
MJ Brown ◽  
WR Shorthose ◽  
MR Clarke
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Carcass Traits ◽  
The Other ◽  
Carcass Weight ◽  
Muscle Properties ◽  
Muscle Water Content ◽  
Access To Water ◽  
Muscle Water ◽  
Dressing Percentage ◽  
Water Contents

In two experiments, we examined the effects on liveweight, carcass traits and muscle properties of (a) sending cattle to the abattoir either direct from a farm or via a saleyard, and (b) different curfew and sale procedures at a saleyard. During the 12 h curfew and 10 h sale periods, cattle were held with or without water, but always denied feed. In experiment 1, after a journey of 1320 km, 252 bullocks (mean liveweight 558 kg) were subjected to one of seven treatments. The groups transported direct to the abattoir were (1) denied water between arrival and slaughter (26 h), (2) offered water for 26 h, or (3) offered water and feed for 50 h and then water alone for 24 h. Those sent to the saleyard were given access to water (4) at all times, (5) only during the curfew and sale periods, (6) only before the curfew began, or (7) were denied water until after the sale, when all groups were offered water for 36 h until slaughter. Among the bullocks sent direct to the abattoir, the group with water for 26 h until slaughter had heavier (P< 0.0 1 ) carcasses than those denied water (331 kg vs 312 kg) and also a greater (P < 0.0 1) muscle water content, while the carcasses of the group slaughtered 2 d later were intermediate for both. Whether dressing percentages were calculated on liveweights at the start or end of the simulated sale for the four saleyard groups, the differences in mean dressing percentages between groups offered water (0.7 and 0.3 percentage units) were less than the differences between the means of the groups denied water (3.7 and 3.5 units). The increases in dressing percentage during the sale for groups with water (0.7 and 0.3 units) were less than those for the groups denied water (1.5 and 1.7 units). Differences in mean liveweights and mean muscle water contents between groups followed the same trends. Mean carcass weights did not differ significantly between saleyard groups (318-323 kg). In experiment 2, after a journey of 90 km, 152 cows (mean liveweight 323 kg) were subjected to one of four treatments. The group going direct to the abattoir was offered water for 4.5 h, fasted for 16 h and then slaughtered. For the other three groups, the saleyard treatments 4,6, or 7 of experiment 1were imposed, followed by 21 h on water and a 16 h pre-slaughter fast. Trends in dressing percentage and liveweight were similar to those recorded in experiment 1. Mean carcass weight varied (P<0. 05) between groups and tended to increase with muscle water content. Method of sale was important because it affected the time from mustering to slaughter, and thus, carcass weight. At saleyards, the practice of giving cattle continuous access to water reduced significantly the variation in liveweight, dressing percentage and muscle water content between groups with similar initial liveweights. This practice at abattoirs avoided dehydration of carcass tissues at slaughter

A note on the effects of pre-slaughter housing, diet and sex on responses to post-mortem electrical stimulation in cattle

1984 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 301-304
Author(s):  
J. Jedlička ◽  
J. Mojto ◽  
V. Foltys ◽  
J. Lichtner ◽  
D. Szakáczová ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Stimulation ◽  
Good Condition ◽  
Normal Diet ◽  
Processing Plant ◽  
Post Mortem ◽  
Meat Processing ◽  
Basic Requirement ◽  
Ph Values ◽  
Muscle Ph

ABSTRACTEffects of the period of pre-slaughter lairage and diet on responses to post-mortem electrical stimulation (ES) were observed in 113 bulls and 18 cows. The efficiency of ES was assessed by the rate of the decrease of muscle pH. Stimulation was made at 80 V for 45 s. ES significantly decreased pH values at 1 h after slaughter. The effect was greater for animals on a normal diet than for those on a reduced diet. ES was also more effective for animals killed within 2 h after transportation to the meat processing plant than for animals slaughtered 24 h after transportation. There were no significant differences in the effect of ES between sexes. The basic requirement for effective ES is a good condition of animals at slaughter.

scholarly journals Post-Mortem Electrical Stimulation of Muscle and its Effects on Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Adenosine Triphosphatase

1979 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronald K Tume
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Stimulation ◽  
Sarcoplasmic Reticulum ◽  
Calcium Binding ◽  
Membrane Lipids ◽  
Protein A ◽  
Binding Affinities ◽  
Post Mortem ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Reduced Activity ◽  
Stimulation Of

Sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) was isolated from control muscles and from muscles which had been subjected to short-term post-mortem electrical stimulation. Both preparations had similar protein compositions but the SR from electrically stimulated muscle had a lower 'extra' ATPase activity. The ability of the SR preparations from electrically stimulated muscles to accumulate Ca2+ was about the same as the controls. There was, therefore, an apparently greater efficiency of Ca2+ transport in the isolated vesicles, the reason for which is not known, but an alteration in the 'leakiness' of the membrane may be involved. Purified ATPase isolated from control and stimulated SR contained, in addition to the ATPase protein, a polypeptide of molecular weight about 30000. The purified ATPase vesicles from electrically stimulated muscle had a reduced activity as measured by ATP splitting activity, phosphoenzyme formation from either inorganic orthophosphate (Pi) or ATP, or by an ATP � Pi exchange reaction. These reduced activities probably result from an alteration in the binding affinities of the ATPase for ATP and Pi' The low affinity site for calcium binding was not affected by electrical stimulation. Purified ATPase vesicles from stimulated muscle were more susceptible to proteolytic attack, suggesting that the conformation of the protein or its association with the membrane lipids had been altered.

scholarly journals Low voltage electrical stimulation of lamb: Its effect on muscle pH and tenderness

1984 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 513-523 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. B. Chrystall ◽  
G. E. Devine ◽  
S. Ellery ◽  
L. Wade
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Stimulation ◽  
Low Voltage ◽  
Muscle Ph ◽  
Stimulation Of
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