Animal Physiology and Meat Quality

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter emphasizes the important role animal physiology plays generally in controlling the changes that occur in the postmortem conversion of muscle to meat, thereby affecting the meat supply for the human population. Research effort on animal stress susceptibility, ranging from very fundamental to very applied, has been reviewed. Much has been learned in recent years about the endocrinological aspects of stress susceptibility in domestic animals. The more classic approach of study of muscle biochemistry and morphology has been pursued with greater refinement. The physiology of stress–susceptible animals has been investigated and particular interest has centered on the malignant hyperthermia syndrome. The problem of porcine stress syndrome (PSS) and pale, soft, and exudative (PSE) in pigs has been recognized. Efforts are being made, particularly by the live animal producers, to identify the problem in their animals and then to minimize or eliminate it by proper management and genetic selection.The problem of animal stress susceptibility and the low–quality meat produced from such animals has been studied extensively.