Physical activity and meat quality in socially non-stabilised bulls and steers housed together at the slaughter house ante mortem
2003
Mojto, J. | Zaujec, K. | Pavlic, M. (Vyskumny Ustav Zivocisnej Vyroby, Nitra (Slovak Republic))
Physical activity (number of mounts), content of muscle glycogen and physical and technological quality of musculus longissimus thoracis et lumborum in slaughter bulls and steers were compared. The animals were housed together in waiting box at the slaughterhouse before killing. Each slaughter category was represented by ten animals, crosses of Holstein (75%) x Blond'Aquitaine. The physical activity of animals was observed after they were housed at the slaughterhouse, from 14.00 to 05.00 hour. Immediately before slaughter a sample from musculus semitendinosus was taken by spring biopsy to determine the muscle glycogen content (Dreilling et al., 1987). The pH-value and colour of meat (% remission) were measured and the water holding capacity (WHC) was determined 48 hrs post mortem. The weight losses in meat samples after cooking, as well as the shear force value (Warner-Bratzler) of musculus longissimus thoracis et lumborum were studied on the seventh day. Basic variation statistic parameters and testing of differences between groups (t-test) were calculated by personal computer with the Statgraphics programme. The average number of mounts was 65 with bulls and only 8 with steers, the greatest activity being the first four hours with bulls and a little bit later with steers. The different content of muscle glycogen in the bioptate of musculus semitendinosus ante mortem (33.45 micro mol in bulls, 71.10 micro mol.g/1 in steers) affected significantly also the final value of pH (6.76 in bulls, 6.17 in steers) and the occurrence of extremely dark DFD meat (84% in bulls, 36% in steers) 48 hours post mortem. Darker meat (r = 0.76) was in animals with the highest number of mounting irrespective of the slaughter category
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