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The effect of preslaughter lairage on serum thyroxine and cortisol levels at slaughter, and meat quality of boars, hogs and gilts
Author(s) -
Moss Bruce W.,
Robb J. Desmond
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.2740290806
Subject(s) - purebred , crossbreed , zoology , biology
Commercial crossbred hogs and gilts, and purebred Landrace boars and gilts were slaughtered after a lairage period of either 2 or 24 h. The meat quality of the carcasses was assessed by measuring the pH of the Longissimus dorsi and adductor muscles at 45 min and 20 h post mortem. Serum cortisol and thyroid parameters were measured in blood taken at slaughter. The incidence of the pale, soft and exudative (PSE) condition was slightly higher in purebred Landrace pigs killed after a short lairage period than in those held in lairage overnight. The PSE condition tended to be more prevalent in Landrace gilts than boars. The percentage of carcasses classified as dark, firm and dry (DFD) was much greater in both commercial crossbred and purebred Landrace pigs killed after overnight lairage. The incidence of the DFD condition was greater in Landrace boars than gilts, particularly after overnight lairage. Serum cortisol levels were higher and serum total thyroxine (T 4 ) and free thyroxine indices (FTI) lower in pigs killed after a short lairage. Serum total T 4 and FTI values at slaughter were lower in boars than gilts.