Factors influencing the welfare and carcass and meat quality of pigs: the use of water sprays in lairage

1993 ◽  
Vol 56 (3) ◽  
pp. 393-397 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. M. Weeding ◽  
H. J. Guise ◽  
R. H. C. Penny

AbstractTwo experiments were made to study the effects of a mist or large-droplet water spray for different lengths of time, on pig behaviour in lairage prior to slaughter and on subsequent carcass Quality. Water spraying caused more pigs to stand, chew the pen walls and root around the pen floor compared with unsprayed controls, and they also tended to fight more. The sprayed pigs produced meat of superior quality in terms of m. longissimus dorsi rate of acidification and colour. It is suggested that these benefits were due to the effects of evaporative cooling and increased water intake.

1989 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 517-521 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. J. Guise ◽  
R. H. C. Penny

ABSTRACTMixing pigs from different social groups is known to cause turmoil which often results in skin lacerations as well as dark, firm and dry meat. Nine hundred and sixty commercial crossbred pigs were used for this experiment, divided into eight consignments. Within each consignment the pigs were divided into groups of about 15. The pigs in each group had coexisted for at least 6 weeks prior to slaughter. Thirty min before loading for slaughter, groups of pigs were either mixed with unfamiliar pigs or not mixed. Similarly, on arrival at the abattoir, groups of pigs were either mixed or not mixed. Hence there were four possible treatment combinations: pigs mixed with unfamiliar animals at loading, mixed at unloading, mixed at both points, or pigs which had remained in their social groups for at least 6 weeks prior to slaughter. Carcasses were dressed according to normal practice. After 20 h in the chiller room carcasses were assessed for skin blemish and fibre optic probe (FOP) values were measured in the longissimus dorsi muscle. Mixing pigs at either loading or unloading, or at both points, had no significant effect on the FOP value, but it did have a significant effect on the frequency of skin blemish values. Skin blemish values increased due to mixing at the farm (+0·36, Meat and Livestock Commission scale) however mixing at both places did not have an additive effect. The results indicate that the ideal movement system might be to keep pigs in their farm pen social groups until the point of slaughter.


1989 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 511-515 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. J. Guise ◽  
R. H. C. Penny

ABSTRACTThis experiment was designed to study the effects of stocking density in transit and the use of electric goads on pig welfare and subsequent meat quality. Sixty-four pens, totalling 1400 commercial crossbred hybrid pigs, were transported from a farm to a large commercial abattoir at either high (0·3 m2 per pig) or low (>0·4 m2 per pig) stocking densities. The lorry drivers loaded and unloaded the pens of pigs at either end of their journey with, or without, an electric goad. Similarly, lairage men moved groups of pigs from their lairage pens to the stunning and slaughter area with, or without, goads. Consequently, eight possible treatment combinations arose from this 2 × 2 × 2 factorial experiment. About 20 h after slaughter, the fibre optic probe (FOP) value of the longissimus dorsi muscle was recorded and carcasses were scored for the extent of skin blemish. Pigs in high stocking density groups (HSD) had lower FOP values than those on low stocking density groups (LSD) (P < 0·05) and more severe skin blemish (P < 0·001). The effect of goading in transport or in the lairage, had no significant effect on the FOP values. However, the skin blemish data showed a significant interaction between the use of goads during transport and the stocking density treatment (P < 0·05). This interaction implied that the use of goads when loading pigs at a HSD was associated with a reduction in skin blemish. Conversely, the lowest skin blemish frequency was observed in the LSD treatment group handled without the aid of goads. Pigs in the HSD groups were visibly more skin damaged and exhibited evidence of rectal prolapse which was absent in pigs transported at LSD. Lower stocking densities are to be recommended as carcass, meat quality and pig welfare are probably improved. The use of goads is associated with a higher degree of carcass damage unless pigs are to be densely packed during transport.


Author(s):  
Angela Cividini ◽  
Dušan Terčič ◽  
Mojca Simčič

The aim of this study was to estimate the effect of feeding system on the growth rate and carcass quality of crossbred Improved Jezersko-Solčava x Texel (JSRT) lambs and to evaluate the effect of sex on these traits. The trial was conducted in nature according to the traditional rearing systems. The trial included 44 crossbred lambs, which were born and reared until the slaughter in three different flocks. In the age of 10 days suckled lambs were offered with ad libitum corresponding diets according to the feeding system. All lambs were slaughtered in seven consecutive days by the same procedure. The effect of feeding system significantly affected daily gain from birth to slaughter, EUROP carcass conformation and shoulder width. Likewise, the effect of sex significantly affected daily gain from birth to slaughter and internal fatness of carcasses. According to carcass cuts the feeding system significantly affected only the proportion of neck and leg. Considering meat quality traits, feeding system had a significant effect on the pH 45 and CIE a* values. In this study, we could speculate that more than the feeding system the growth and the carcass traits as well as meat traits were affected by the amount of the supplement.


1972 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 215-227 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. E. Hinks ◽  
J. H. D. Prescott

SUMMARYTwenty-four Friesian steers, initially 5 months of age, were involved in a 2 × 2 factorial experiment which spanned grazing and silage feeding periods of 22 weeks' duration. In the first period, cattle were stocked at a uniformly high density, with half of the group being fed 1·25 kg/head per day of supplementary barley. In the second period, the cattle were subdivided into four groups and fed varying levels of barley with silage. Finally all the animals received 3·65 kg/head per day of barley. Replicates of the four treatments were slaughtered at random after 5 to 11 weeks on this treatment. Whilst supplementary cereal feeding significantly increased the live-weight gains of steers at grass by 11%, this live-weight advantage was offset by their slower gains in the final weeks before slaughter. Feeding cereals to grazing cattle had little effect on carcass composition or the proportions of carcass joints, but their beef was considered, by a tasting panel, to be more tender than the meat from the control steers.Increasing the level of barley fed with silage only increased live-weight gains by 2%, and had little effect on carcass or meat quality.


1972 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 229-237
Author(s):  
C. E. Hinks ◽  
J. H. D. Prescott

SUMMARYTwo experiments concerning the effects, on the carcass and meat characteristics of 18-months-old Friesian steers, of variation in grazing intensity and the level of barley feeding with silage are reported.Groups of 12 steers were grazed at different intensities over 5-month grazing periods, such that live-weight differences of 38 kg and 16 kg were recorded at housing. No compensatory growth was recorded during the subsequent winter feeding period.Whilst the grazing treatments had little effect on carcass or meat quality, higher levels of barley feeding with silage over the winter period (710 v. 410 kg/steer) had significant effects on live-weight gain, and increased carcass weight by 21 kg at slaughter. The higher yield of carcass weight was reflected in significant differences in carcass composition, joint proportions and retail cut-out value. Sixty per cent of the carcass weight difference was removed as trim fat. Differences in carcass fatness were not associated with any differences in eating quality.


2002 ◽  
Vol 2002 ◽  
pp. 52-52
Author(s):  
L.E.R. Dawson ◽  
A.F. Carson ◽  
B.W. Moss

Ewe and ram genotype have been shown to have a significant effect on carcass quality. For example, Dawson and Carson (2001) demonstrated that lambs from Bluefaced Leicester X Blackface ewes were of poorer conformation than lambs from the Texel X Blackface, Suffolk X Cheviot or Texel Cheviot ewes while high lean growth index sired lambs had an improved conformation compared with lambs sired by non-recorded rams. Recent work has shown that genotype can have significant effects on the meat quality of lambs from hill sheep systems (Carson et al. 2001). Therefore the aim of the current study was to investigate the effect of ewe and ram genotype from the lowland sector on meat quality.


Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 330 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao Wang ◽  
Yongjie Chen ◽  
Yanju Bi ◽  
Peng Zhao ◽  
Hanqing Sun ◽  
...  

In order to investigate the effect of gentle handling on the behavior, performance, and meat quality of pigs from weaning to slaughter, 144 6-week-old weaned hybrid Min piglets (a native breed) were selected and divided into a handling group (HG: 9 pens × 8 pigs) and a control group (CG: 9 pens × 8 pigs). After 6 weeks of handling, we observed and then evaluated the pigs’ responses to a handler with behavioral scores. Moreover, we measured heart rate and production performance. Three pigs were randomly selected from each of the 18 pens and divided into a handling group (HG: n = 27) and a control group (CG: n = 27), and the HG pigs were given gentle handling until slaughter. Subsequently, we evaluated meat quality and the production performance of six pigs from each group. The results show that AA test (approaching–avoidance test) scores in HG pigs, the number of contacts with the handler and absence of contact with the handler, were significantly higher than in the CG pigs (p < 0.01). The occurrences of avoidance and looking at the handler were lower in the HG than in the CG group (p < 0.01); however, heart rate was not found to be significantly different between the two groups (p = 0.63). No significant difference was found in the average daily gain, average daily feed intake, and feed conversion ratio between the two groups during the two periods (p > 0.05). The b* value was determined 45 min after slaughter, and it was significantly lower in the HG than that in the CG group (p = 0.002). Furthermore, 2 h after slaughter, the L value of the HG group was significantly higher than that of the CG group (p = 0.047), but no difference was observed in carcass quality or other meat quality indicators between the two groups (p > 0.05). The results indicate that gentle handling could reduce pigs’ anxiety and increase their willingness to approach the handler, increasing the intimacy of the pigs and handlers. However, long-term gentle handling had little effect on pig performance, carcass quality, and meat quality.


2021 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 100-110
Author(s):  
J. S. Ekpo

The concern of people about nutritional quality and healthy eating make them to reduce meat consumption due to the fear of hypercholesterolemia. Against this background, there is need to incorporate cholesterol-reducing feed stuff into diets of meat producing animals. This study was therefore carried out to evaluate the performance as well as carcass quality of rabbits fed diets containing processed Mucuna seed meal (MSM) for 84 days. A total of 45 rabbit bucks (New Zealand White) of six weeks old were divided into three treatment groups of 15 rabbits each. Each treatment group was replicated thrice with five rabbits per replicate. The rabbit groups were randomly assigned to three treatment diets in a completely randomized design: The three experimental diets were formulated such that Mucuna pruriens seed (processed by soaking and boiling) replaced maize at 0, 20 and 30% as T1, T2 and T3 respectively. T1 served as the control without Mucuna Pruriens. Data were collected on feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion ratio, carcass traits and meat lipid profile viz: total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprotein (LDL), very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) and high density lipoprotein (HDL). Result obtained revealed that rabbits on mucuna-based diets (T2 and T3) had significant (P<0.05) increase in feed intake and weight gain than rabbits on diet T1 (control). Similarly, carcass characteristics of the animals fed mucuna-based diets showed significant (P<0.05) increase in dressed weight, dressing percentage, cut parts (fore leg, hind leg, loin, thoracic cage) except organ (liver, kidney. heart, lungs) weights which were comparable to rabbits fed control diet. Significant (P<0.05) improvement in meat quality in terms of increase in HDL, protein, muscle, meat to bone ratio and reduction in TC, TG, LDL, VLDL and fat were obtained for the rabbit fed the mucuna-based diets. Economy of production indicated that cost of feed consumed and cost per weight gain reduced for rabbits fed MSM compared to those fed control diet. The results of the trial have shown that processed MSM can be used to substitute maize in diet up to 30% for improved performance, carcass traits and meat quality of rabbit bucks.     Les préoccupations des gens au sujet de la qualité nutritionnelle et d'une alimentation saine les font réduire la consommation de viande en raison de la crainte de l'hypercholestérolémie. Dans ce contexte, il est nécessaire d'incorporer des aliments pour animaux réducteurs de cholestérol dans les régimes alimentaires des animaux producteurs de viande. Cette étude a donc été réalisée pour évaluer la performance ainsi que la qualité de carcasse des lapins nourris à des régimes contenant des farines de graines de Mucuna transformées (le 'MSM') pendant 84 jours. Un total de 45 mâles de lapin (New Zealand White) de six semaines ont été divisés en trois groupes de traitement de 15 lapins chacun. Chaque groupe de traitement a été répliqué trois fois avec cinq lapins par réplique. Les groupes de lapins ont été assignés au hasard à trois régimes de traitement dans une conception complètement randomisée : Les trois régimes expérimentaux ont été formulés de telle sorte que les graines pruriens de Mucuna (traitées par trempage et ébullition) ont remplacé le maïs à 0, 20 et 30% comme T1, T2 et T3 respectivement. T1 a servi de contrôle sans Mucuna Pruriens. Des données ont été recueillies sur la consommation d'aliments pour animaux, le gain de poids, le rapport de conversion des aliments pour animaux, les traits de carcasse et le profil lipidique de la viande viz : cholestérol total (le 'TC'), triglycéride (le 'TG'), lipoprotéine de basse densité (le 'LDL'), lipoprotéine de très faible densité (le 'VLDL') et lipoprotéine de haute densité (le 'HDL'). Le résultat obtenu a révélé que les lapins qui suivreaient un régime à base de mucuna (T2 et T3) avaient une augmentation significative (P<0.05) de la consommation d'aliments pour animaux et du gain de poids que les lapins au régime T1 (contrôle). De même, les caractéristiques de carcasse des animaux nourris à base de mucuna ont montré une augmentation significative (P<0.05) du poids habillé, du pourcentage d'habillage, des parties coupées (jambe avant, patte arrière, longe, cage thoracique) à l'exception des poids des organes (foie, rein, cœur, poumons) comparables aux lapins nourris au régime de contrôle. Une amélioration significative (P<0.05) de la qualité de la viande en termes d'augmentation de la HDL, des protéines, des muscles, du rapport viande/os et de la réduction du TC, du TG, du LDL, du VLDL et de la graisse a été obtenue pour le lapin nourri aux régimes à base de mucuna. L'économie de production a indiqué que le coût des aliments consommés et le coût par gain de poids réduit pour les lapins nourris aux 'MSM' par rapport à ceux nourris régime de contrôle. Les résultats de l'essai ont montré que les 'MSM' transformés peuvent être utilisés pour remplacer le maïs dans l'alimentation jusqu'à 30 % par une meilleure performance, des caractéristiques de carcasse et la qualité de la viande des mâles lapins.


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