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.

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.

A note on some factors influencing muscle pH values in commercial pig carcasses

1978 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 229-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. C. Smith ◽  
A. Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Least Squares ◽  
Practical Significance ◽  
Longissimus Dorsi ◽  
Post Mortem ◽  
First Order ◽  
Commercial Grade ◽  
Ph Values ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Muscle Ph ◽  
Pig Carcasses

ABSTRACTMeasurements of longissimus dorsi pH at 45 min post mortem (pH1) were taken in 27 727 pig carcasses at four bacon factories. The overall least squares mean pH1 was 6·26 and 15·5% of carcasses had pHi values of 5·9 or less. Sex and commercial grade of carcass had little influence on muscle pHi or the incidence of values below pH 6·0. Factory differences were recorded in the distribution of muscle and within each there were marked producer effects in mean and the incidence of values below pH 6·0. Carcasses of Large Whites had fewer muscle pH1 values below 6·0 (12·4%) than those of British Landrace (18·7%), this being mainly due to a large breed effect at one factory. Although breed and testing background of sires of the carcasses examined and the first order interactions with factory had significant effects on muscle pHi and the incidence of values below pH 6·0, they were of little practical significance.

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 EVALUATION OF METHODS OF ASSESSING TENDERNESS ON RAW AND COOKED BEEF MUSCLE

1975 ◽  
Vol 55 (4) ◽  
pp. 519-525 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. J. L’HIRONDELLE ◽  
A. H. MARTIN
Keyword(s):  
Measuring System ◽  
Longissimus Dorsi ◽  
Post Mortem ◽  
Marbling Score ◽  
Texture Properties ◽  
Ph Values ◽  
Cooked Meat ◽  
Evaluation Of Methods ◽  
Beef Muscle

Methods of estimating tenderness of beef muscle were evaluated on 282 steer and heifer carcasses. pH values (1 h and 2 h post-mortem) did not relate to shear values or panel tenderness scores on the cooked longissimus dorsi, evaluated after 6 days’ aging. Values obtained with the Armour tenderometer on the raw rib-eye were not useful predictors of tenderness of the cooked muscle (r2 < 6%). The Ottawa Texture Measuring System extrusion cell did not relate texture properties of the raw muscle to tenderness of the cooked meat. Marbling score explained 14% of the variance in panel tenderness scores. No satisfactory classification of carcasses into tenderness desirability groups was achieved with any of the methods examined.

The effects of resting sheep after a long journey on concentrations of plasma constituents, post-mortem changes in muscles, and meat properties

1977 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 509 ◽  
Author(s):  
WR Shorthose
Keyword(s):  
Shear Force ◽  
Rest Period ◽  
Longissimus Dorsi ◽  
Post Mortem ◽  
Ph Values ◽  
Meat Colour

After a 1110 km road journey, rams were rested either 18 hr with water available or 120 hr with feed and water before slaughter. Not all animals rested for 120 hr ate the feed offered. Animals rested for only 18 hr had less glycogen in the M. longissimus dorsi (LD) and liver at slaughter than those rested for 120 hr. The ultimate pH values of the LD (5.94) and M. semitendinosus (6.31) of rams rested for 18 hr were greater than those of the same muscles from animals that ate during their 120 hr rest period. Meat colour was darker in chops from animals rested for 18 hr than in those from animals rested 120 hr, although peak shear force values for this muscle did not differ between the two treatments.

Chronological age and dentition effects on carcass and meat quality of cattle in northern Australia

1991 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 145 ◽  
Author(s):  
JR Wythes ◽  
WR Shorthose
Keyword(s):  
Shear Force ◽  
Carcass Weight ◽  
Chronological Age ◽  
Longissimus Dorsi ◽  
Northern Australia ◽  
Muscle Properties ◽  
Yield Value ◽  
Access To Water ◽  
Dressing Percentage

The effects of chronological age and dentition on the liveweight, carcass weight, bruising and muscle properties of 348 cows and 370 steers were examined in 5 experiments in Queensland (1982-83). Birth dates were known only for the cows in experiments 1 and 2, and for the steers in experiment 5; with ages categorised as 4 years and less (young), 5-10 years (mature) and greater than 10 years (old). The number of permanent 'incisor' teeth were recorded for all animals. The cattle were weighed (unfasted), transported to an abattoir and given access to water and hay (except in experiment 5). Mustering to slaughter periods varied from 2 to 7 days. Half the carcasses were electrically stimulated in experiments 1 and 2. In general, old and mature cows with 8 teeth had heavier (P<0.05) mean liveweights than did young cows with 4 teeth, and both had heavier (P<0.05) liveweights and carcass weights than those with 2 teeth. Old cows with 8 teeth also had the lowest (P<0.05) mean dressing percentage, while mature cows had the greatest (P<0.05) fat depth. There was no consistent trend between groups in bruise score. Steers with 8 teeth had a greater (P<0.05) mean liveweight, carcass weight, dressing percentage and rib fat depth than other dentition groups, and a greater (P<0.05) bruise score in experiment 5 only. There was no significant effect of chronological age or dentition on the shear force values or cooking losses of M. longissimus dorsi (LD) for cows. In 1 experiment, steers with 8 teeth had a greater (P<0.05) peak force-initial yield value and lower (P<0.05) cooking loss than other dentition groups. Mature cow carcasses cooled more (P<0.05) slowly than those of other ages. Over all experiments, there were more (P<0.05) high pHz4 carcasses among the combined 6 and 8 teeth group than the combined 2 and 4 teeth group (10.2 v. 2.3%).

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.

The effect of carcass weight on chemical characteristics and fatty acid composition of Longissimus dorsi and Semimembranosus muscles of European wild boar (Sus scrofa scrofa) meat

2018 ◽  
Vol 98 (3) ◽  
pp. 557-564
Author(s):  
Martyna Batorska ◽  
Justyna Więcek ◽  
Małgorzata Kunowska-Slósarz ◽  
Kamila Puppel ◽  
Jan Slósarz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acids ◽  
Fatty Acid Composition ◽  
Fatty Acid ◽  
Wild Boar ◽  
Sus Scrofa ◽  
Carcass Weight ◽  
Longissimus Dorsi ◽  
Chemical Characteristics ◽  
Wild Boars ◽  
European Wild Boar

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of carcass weight on chemical characteristics and fatty acid composition of m. longissimus dorsi and m. semimembranosus of European wild boar (Sus scrofa scrofa) meat. The research was carried out on 50 wild boars shot during four battues at hunting reserves in the central part of Poland. The carcasses were divided into three groups: ≤30 kg (G1), 31–45 kg (G2), and >45 kg (G3). The protein concentration increased with carcass weight (P ≤ 0.01). The concentration of saturated fatty acids was influenced by carcass weight and was higher when weight increased. A significantly higher level of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) was found in the carcasses of wild boars from G3 compared with G1 group (P ≤ 0.01). The content of C18:2n-6 was significantly lower in the lightest carcasses compared with the heaviest (P ≤ 0.05). Statistical analysis confirmed that carcasses weight significantly affected polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) n-3 content. The lightest carcasses contained a significantly higher concentration of PUFA n-3 (P ≤ 0.01). In addition, in G3, the amount of C22:5n-3 was two-fold lower (P ≤ 0.01) than in G1. The research has shown that the meat quality was affected by the carcass weight, resulting better parameters in the lighter than in the heavier carcasses. Therefore, most of the culled wild boars should be squeakers and young boars after the first year of life.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document