The effects of season on health, welfare, and carcass and meat quality of slaughter pigs

Čobanović, Nikola; Stajković, Silvana; Blagojević, Bojan; Betic, N; Dimitrijević, Miodrag; Василев, Драган; Karabasil, Nedjeljko

doi:10.1007/s00484-020-01977-y

Cited by 34 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…The literature reported different results on the seasonal effect of skin lesion and ham defects in pigs. The present results are in contrast with what observed by Dalla Costa et al [ 31 ] and Cobanovic [ 32 ], who observed increased skin lesions in winter, and Arduini et al [ 20 ], who reported increased muscle tears in the cold seasons (winter and autumn). The results of the present study agreed with what has been claimed by Bottaccini et al [ 17 ] and Goumon et al [ 33 ].…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 99%

The multivariate approach identifies relationships between pre-slaughter factors, body lesions, ham defects and carcass traits in pigs

et al. 2021

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Abattoir meat inspection has been proposed for the collection of welfare outcomes. The identification of suitable animal-based measures (ABM) is still a critical point that needs to be implemented to avoid collinearity among measures. The present study aims to benchmark the presence of ABM such as skin and tail lesions and ham defects in carcasses from 79 batches of Italian Heavy pigs and to identify possible relationships between the assessed ABM and pre-slaughter factors such as the season and the overnight lairage. Furthermore, the study also considers the effect of pre-slaughter conditions and ABM on carcass traits parameters (cold carcass weight and lean meat percentage). Skin and tail lesions were recorded at the slaughter line. The presence of abscesses, muscle tears and veining defects were assessed in the hams at trimming, according to the Parma Ham Consortium. A multivariate analysis was performed to identify relationships between ABM and pre-slaughter factor; therefore, a linear model was built to assess the effect on carcass weight and lean meat percentage. Main welfare issues were represented by skin and tail lesions and muscle tears (prevalence above 10%). Multivariate analysis evidenced that skin lesions and veining defects were mostly associated with the warm season. Abscesses and muscle tears in the hams were more likely related to overnight lairage, while tail lesions contributed equally to both season and lairage. Moreover, lairage related factors showed to affect lean meat percentage. The findings of the present study suggest that ham defects might be useful indicators of pre-slaughter stress. The validation of these findings with physiological parameters could be of interest for further studies.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 99%

The multivariate approach identifies relationships between pre-slaughter factors, body lesions, ham defects and carcass traits in pigs

et al. 2021

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“…This would imply that cooking PSE meat, which has a greater degree of longitudinal contraction, would result in a greater tenderness (i.e., a lower WBSF). It is, however, noteworthy that the drip loss observed in heavy pigs meat (being it either normal or similar to PSE) is usually considerably lower than what observed in lighter animals (e.g., [ 34 , 35 ]), probably due to the different age and weight at slaughter, reflecting on the moisture content of the carcass (and meat) [ 36 ].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Accordingly, a study on lighter pigs (127 kg BW) showed that transports carried out during summer resulted in paler meat color (i.e., in greater L* value) than during winter [ 40 ]. Čobanović et al [ 34 ] observed the lowest pH and the highest thawing loss, L* and b* values, and occurrence of PSE meat in pigs (110 kg BW) transported during summer.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pre-Slaughter Sources of Fresh Meat Quality Variation: The Case of Heavy Pigs Intended for Protected Designation of Origin Products

Sardi

Gastaldo

Borciani

et al. 2020

Animals

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This study focused on loin quality in Italian heavy pigs intended for the production of PDOs (Protected Designation of Origin) products, and investigated the pre-slaughter factors which negatively affect the quality of fresh meat. Data were collected on 44 shipments (loads) of pigs. Shipments were carried out under commercial conditions. Several pre-slaughter parameters were recorded within the entire process (on-farm, during transport, and at the slaughterhouse). On a subset of pigs (10 animals from every load, N = 440), serum cortisol and creatine kinase were measured and loin samples were analyzed for pH, instrumental color, drip loss, cooking loss, shear force, and sensory quality. Cluster analysis of the instrumentally-assessed meat quality parameters allowed the categorization of the shipments into two clusters: lower quality (LQ) and higher quality (HQ). Our results showed that the factors with significant differences between the two clusters were journey duration, ambient temperature, distance traveled, and irregular behaviors (slipping, falling, and overlapping) at unloading (all greater in LQ, p < 0.05). The pre-slaughter conditions associated with lower loin quality were ambient temperatures above 22 °C, distance traveled above 26 km, travel duration between 38–66 min, more than 5.9% of animals showing irregular behaviors at unloading.

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“…This leads to a very fast pH fall early postmortem, which together with high muscle temperature causes denaturation of sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar proteins and decreases water-holding capacity, subsequently resulting in the occurrence of PSE pork (Guàrdia et al, 2004;Hoffman and Fisher, 2010;Gajana et al, 2013;Gonzalez-Rivas et al, 2020). PSE pork is soft and moisture prior to heat treatment, while after cooking it lacks the juiciness, becomes harder and loses elasticity as a consequence of toughening of meat proteins due to their denaturation during abnormally fast muscle metabolism ante and postmortem (Barbut et al, 2005;Remignon et al, 2007;Öztürk and Serdaroglu, 2015;Dong et al, 2020). This can explain the toughest texture (the highest hardness and chewiness but lower springiness) being found in meat obtained from pigs subjected to short transportation (∼ 20 min) at low space allocation (0.29 m 2 /100 kg) during hot weather conditions (Table 2).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Combined effects of weather conditions, transportation time and loading density on carcass damages and meat quality of market-weight pigs

Čobanović

Novaković²,

Tomašević

et al. 2021

Arch. Anim. Breed.

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Abstract. This study investigated the interactive effects of weather conditions, transportation time and loading density on carcass damages and meat quality traits of market-weight pigs under commercial conditions. The following pork quality parameters were measured: pH and temperature; colour; drip, thawing and cooking loss; and textural traits. Pigs were assigned to one of eight groups arranged in a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design according to the weather conditions (hot and cold), transportation time (short and long) and loading density (high and low). A three-way ANOVA and Tukey's post-test (multiple comparisons) were performed to assess the differences between groups in examined pork quality traits. Pigs exposed to short transportation (∼ 20 min) at high loading density (0.29 m2/100kg) during hot weather conditions produced meat with the lowest initial and ultimate meat pH value and sensory colour scores, and the highest initial temperature and the occurrence of pale, soft and exudative pork. The occurrence of pale, soft and exudative pork was reduced 5-fold during hot weather conditions when pigs were exposed to longer transportation (∼ 210 min) and low loading density (0.53 m2/100kg). Pigs exposed to short transportation (∼ 20 min) at high loading density (0.41 m2/100kg) during cold weather conditions produced the highest quality pork (the highest percentage of red, firm and non-exudative pork) characterised by lowest drip loss and b∗ value and the highest sensory colour scores. The highest percentages of carcass damages were recorded in pigs exposed to both low (0.50 m2/100kg) and high (0.33 m2/100kg) loading density during long transportation (∼ 210 min) in cold weather conditions. In conclusion, weather conditions and loading density are of greater importance for the occurrence of carcass damages and pork quality variation than transportation time.

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The effects of season on health, welfare, and carcass and meat quality of slaughter pigs

Cited by 34 publications

References 38 publications

The multivariate approach identifies relationships between pre-slaughter factors, body lesions, ham defects and carcass traits in pigs

The multivariate approach identifies relationships between pre-slaughter factors, body lesions, ham defects and carcass traits in pigs

Pre-Slaughter Sources of Fresh Meat Quality Variation: The Case of Heavy Pigs Intended for Protected Designation of Origin Products

Combined effects of weather conditions, transportation time and loading density on carcass damages and meat quality of market-weight pigs

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