TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of Slaughter Date, On-Farm Handling, Transport Stocking Density, and Time in Lairage on Digestive Tract Temperature, Serum Cortisol Concentrations, and Pork Lean Quality of Market Hogs
AU - Carr, C. C.
AU - Newman, D. J.
AU - Rentfrow, G. K.
AU - Keisler, D. H.
AU - Berg, E. P.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2008 American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists.
PY - 2008/6/1
Y1 - 2008/6/1
N2 - The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of on-farm handling intensity (conventional vs. passive), transport stocking density: (high vs. low), and preslaughter lairage time (45 min vs. 3 h) on digestive tract temperature, serum cortisol concentrations, and pork quality of market pigs slaughtered in November (NOV; n = 111), February (FEB; n = 113), and August (AUG; n = 112). Pigs slaughtered in FEB had greater (P ≤ 0.027) digestive tract temperatures before loadout than pigs slaughtered in NOV or AUG. The digestive tract temperature of pigs slaughtered in AUG was greater (P ≤ 0.027) during than before loadout. Pigs afforded 3 h of lairage tended to have greater (P = 0.068) digestive tract temperatures than pigs given 45 min of lairage. When pigs were slaughtered in AUG and NOV, those afforded 3 h of lairage had greater (P = 0.042) cortisol concentrations than pigs given only 45 min of lairage. Carcasses of pigs slaughtered in AUG had a paler (P ≤ 0.032) LM than carcasses of pigs slaughtered in NOV and FEB, and greater (P ≤ 0.032) LM purge losses than pigs slaughtered in FEB. Pigs given a 45 min lairage had greater (P = 0.036) 30-h LM pH values, darker LM (P = 0.008), greater (P = 0.012) subjective color scores, and tended (P = 0.069) to have lower purge loss percentages than pigs given a 3-h lairage. Results indicated that pigs should have less than 3 h of lairage when the day\s low ambient temperature is ≤ 22°C to decrease antemortem stress and improve lean quality.
AB - The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of on-farm handling intensity (conventional vs. passive), transport stocking density: (high vs. low), and preslaughter lairage time (45 min vs. 3 h) on digestive tract temperature, serum cortisol concentrations, and pork quality of market pigs slaughtered in November (NOV; n = 111), February (FEB; n = 113), and August (AUG; n = 112). Pigs slaughtered in FEB had greater (P ≤ 0.027) digestive tract temperatures before loadout than pigs slaughtered in NOV or AUG. The digestive tract temperature of pigs slaughtered in AUG was greater (P ≤ 0.027) during than before loadout. Pigs afforded 3 h of lairage tended to have greater (P = 0.068) digestive tract temperatures than pigs given 45 min of lairage. When pigs were slaughtered in AUG and NOV, those afforded 3 h of lairage had greater (P = 0.042) cortisol concentrations than pigs given only 45 min of lairage. Carcasses of pigs slaughtered in AUG had a paler (P ≤ 0.032) LM than carcasses of pigs slaughtered in NOV and FEB, and greater (P ≤ 0.032) LM purge losses than pigs slaughtered in FEB. Pigs given a 45 min lairage had greater (P = 0.036) 30-h LM pH values, darker LM (P = 0.008), greater (P = 0.012) subjective color scores, and tended (P = 0.069) to have lower purge loss percentages than pigs given a 3-h lairage. Results indicated that pigs should have less than 3 h of lairage when the day\s low ambient temperature is ≤ 22°C to decrease antemortem stress and improve lean quality.
KW - Antemortem stress
KW - Cortisol
KW - Digestive tract temperature
KW - Pork quality
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77955016152&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=77955016152&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1532/S1080-7446(15)30842-1
DO - 10.1532/S1080-7446(15)30842-1
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:77955016152
SN - 1080-7446
VL - 24
SP - 208
EP - 218
JO - Professional Animal Scientist
JF - Professional Animal Scientist
IS - 3
ER -