Abstract
Simple SummaryTransport is a stressful procedure that can affect adversely the welfare of pigs and pork quality. It is well known that response to the journey is influenced by the genetic type. However, very little is known on the response of local breeds to the transport procedures despite the increasing interest in the welfare of animals during transport. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of short distance transport on behaviour, blood parameters and meat quality traits of Apulo-Calabrese (local Italian pig breed) and crossbreed [Duroc × (Landrace × Large White)] pigs. Statistical analyses were done using univariate and multivariate approaches. Both approaches showed that glucose, albumin/globulin, urea, and aspartate aminotransferase concentrations were influenced by the genetic type. Despite at loading Apulo-Calabrese pigs were less reluctant to move and showed a lower vocalization, physiological response to the short distance transport was more intense in this breed when compared with crossbreeds. With regards to meat quality, higher a* and lower L* coordinates were found in Apulo-Calabrese which indicates darker and more reddish meat than crossbreeds. The results from this study may provide insight into the response of local breeds to the transport procedures.Despite the increasing interest in the welfare of animals during transport, very little is known on the response of local pig breeds to the transport procedures. This study aims to compare the effect of short journey on behaviour, blood parameters, and meat quality traits in 51 Apulo-Calabrese and 52 crossbreed [Duroc × (Landrace × Large White)] pigs. All the animals were blood sampled five days before delivery (basal condition) and at exsanguination for the analysis of creatine kinase, cortisol, glucose, lactate, albumin, albumin/globulin, total protein, urea, creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphate, sodium, and potassium. Post mortem pH, color, drip loss, cooking loss, and Warner-Bratzler shear force were measured at different times in longissimus thoracis samples. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that glucose, albumin/globulin, urea, and AST at exsanguination were influenced by the genetic type. Apulo-Calabrese showed the highest increase in blood values of lactate, creatinine, sodium and potassium after the short distance transport. Behavioural occurrences were similar in both genetic types during unloading and lairage. Small differences were observed for meat quality although significantly higher a* and lower L* were found in Apulo-Calabrese pigs, showing meat with a deeper red colour than crossbreeds.
Highlights
Stress associated with transport has been documented in pigs by a large number of studies [1,2,3].According to literature, transport stress can cause changes in the behaviour and normal physiological function affecting negatively the welfare of the animals and meat quality attributes [4,5]
Few research studies have been focused on the effect of transport on local breeds [16,17] a great deal of literature exists on conventional commercial pigs and their crossbreeds [4,31,32]
The present study reports for the first time the effects of short distance transport on blood parameters and meat quality traits of Apulo-Calabrese
Summary
Stress associated with transport has been documented in pigs by a large number of studies [1,2,3].According to literature, transport stress can cause changes in the behaviour and normal physiological function affecting negatively the welfare of the animals and meat quality attributes [4,5]. Stress associated with transport has been documented in pigs by a large number of studies [1,2,3]. It is well known that response to the journey can be influenced by the genotype [6], and factors such as temperature and humidity [7,8], truck conditions [9,10], transport, and/or lairage durations [11] and handling of the animals [12]. Blood parameters at exsanguination have largely been used to assess the stress of transport in livestock [13,14,15]. Extensive studies on blood parameters after transport have been carried out in conventional commercial breeds and their crossbreeds, whilst little information exists on local pig breeds such as Erhualian [16] and Basque [17]. Among the indigenous Italian pig breeds is Apulo-Calabrese which is included in the list of endangered breeds by the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization [18] and registered in the herd book held by the Italian National Association of Pig Breeders
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