The objective of this study was to assess the efficiency of water sprinkling (WS) hogs inside a stationary trailer in summer, in terms of stress response and pork quality variation. In each of 12 weeks between May and September, 2011, two pot-belly trailers with 208 hogs were transported to the slaughter plant (2 h transport). One of the two trailers was equipped with a water sprinkling system (WS vs. control, C). Blood lactate levels and meat quality traits were assessed on a sub-sample of randomly selected hogs (n=384/576). Exsanguination lactate levels decreased (P=0.02) and pH1 value of the longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle increased (P=0.009) in WS hogs compared to C, regardless of temperature. WS reduced exsanguination lactate levels in pigs transported in the middle front (C5) and rear (C8) compartments at 15°C (P=0.03) and 18°C (P=0.009). In C5, the pH1 value in the LD muscle of WS hogs was higher at 18°C (P=0.002), and 22°C (P<0.001), and drip loss was lower at 22°C (P=0.01), and at 25°C (P=0.02). The results of this study showed that sprinkling hogs in a stationary vehicle at ambient temperatures greater than 20°C can increase animal welfare and improve pork quality.
E. Nannoni, T. Widowski, S. Torrey, J. Fox, L.M. Rocha, J.A. Brown, et al. (2012). The effect of water sprinkling on blood lactate and meat quality of market hogs transported during summer.
The effect of water sprinkling on blood lactate and meat quality of market hogs transported during summer
NANNONI, ELEONORA;
2012
Abstract
The objective of this study was to assess the efficiency of water sprinkling (WS) hogs inside a stationary trailer in summer, in terms of stress response and pork quality variation. In each of 12 weeks between May and September, 2011, two pot-belly trailers with 208 hogs were transported to the slaughter plant (2 h transport). One of the two trailers was equipped with a water sprinkling system (WS vs. control, C). Blood lactate levels and meat quality traits were assessed on a sub-sample of randomly selected hogs (n=384/576). Exsanguination lactate levels decreased (P=0.02) and pH1 value of the longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle increased (P=0.009) in WS hogs compared to C, regardless of temperature. WS reduced exsanguination lactate levels in pigs transported in the middle front (C5) and rear (C8) compartments at 15°C (P=0.03) and 18°C (P=0.009). In C5, the pH1 value in the LD muscle of WS hogs was higher at 18°C (P=0.002), and 22°C (P<0.001), and drip loss was lower at 22°C (P=0.01), and at 25°C (P=0.02). The results of this study showed that sprinkling hogs in a stationary vehicle at ambient temperatures greater than 20°C can increase animal welfare and improve pork quality.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
