Author:

Keywords:

Science & Technology, Life Sciences & Biomedicine, Food Science & Technology, Pre-slaughter stress, Sound levels, pH, Meat quality, Pig, FEED WITHDRAWAL, PIGS, LAIRAGE, STRESS, Abattoirs, Animal Welfare, Animals, Humans, Hydrogen-Ion Concentration, Meat, Muscle, Skeletal, Noise, Stress, Physiological, Swine, 0702 Animal Production, 0904 Chemical Engineering, 0908 Food Sciences, Dairy & Animal Science, 3003 Animal production, 3006 Food sciences

Abstract:

This study investigates whether sound levels above 85dB(A), determined in literature as a critical sound level to induce stress in pigs, has also an effect on the pH of pork. Sound levels were recorded during pre-slaughter phases. A measure was taken after the arrival of the truck at the slaughterhouse, during unloading, lairage and just before stunning. The pH of the Longissimus thoracis or lumborum, 30min after sticking (pH30LT) was measured. 8508 pigs were examined and the pH was measured on the carcasses. The results show that the cut-off value of 85dB(A) during the pre-slaughtering phase is not only a threshold to evaluate animal welfare but can also be associated with a slower drop of pH if sound levels are <85dB(A). Finally a linear mixed model for pH30LT was built with the sound level during lairage and the sound level prior to stunning as independent variables, having statistically the highest impact on pH30LT of pork.