Abstract
ABSTRACTThe objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of small amount of straw or hay (100 g/animal/day) and gender on pork characteristics, measured on slaughter line in longissimus dorsi et lumborum (LD) and semimembranosus (SM) muscles. We performed two replicates, each including 96 fattening pigs (half gilts and half barrows) reared under commercial conditions. Treatment had no effect on carcass characteristics and pH45 in both muscles. The straw and hay treatments lowered pH24 in LD muscle (straw: 5.71, hay: 5.74, control: 5.85), while hay treatment increased Fibre Optic Probe value (FOP24) in SM muscle compared to straw treatment (hay: 33.15, straw: 29.26). Gender had no effect on meat characteristics, but the interaction between treatment and gender revealed differences in FOP24 in SM muscle in gilts but not in barrows. Based on pH24 in LD muscle, straw treatment lowered percentage of pigs with DFD meat (straw: 6.2%, control: 28.6%), whereas based on FOP24 in SM muscle, hay treatment lowered percentage of pigs with DFD meat (hay: 9.4%, straw: 32.8%; control: 27.0%). We conclude that a small amount of straw or hay has a beneficial effect on meat quality as it lowered the incidence of DFD meat.
Highlights
Meat characteristics, together with carcass composition, play a major role in defining pig carcass value
Stress during pre-slaughter affects ante- and post-mortem metabolism in an animal’s body and postmortem glycolysis, which has a large effect on meat quality characteristics (Barton Gade 2004; Warriss 2010)
Accelerated glycolysis leads to PSE meat, whereas inadequate pH fall leads to DFD meat (Honikel 2004a)
Summary
Together with carcass composition, play a major role in defining pig carcass value. Besides the positive influence of straw on the behaviour of pigs during rearing, it was reported that pigs reared in straw enriched pens spend less time manipulating pen-mates during transport (de Jong et al 2000), are less aggressive during lairage period (de Jong et al 2000; Barton Gade 2008b) and have lower increase of salivary cortisol levels due to pre-slaughter procedures compared to pigs from barren housing conditions (Geverink et al 1999; de Jong et al 2000; Klont et al 2001). Other authors found either no influence (Geverink et al 1999; Day et al 2002b; Peeters et al 2006; Barton Gade 2008b) or even negative effect of straw enrichment on pork quality measurements (Morrison et al 2007; Lebret et al 2011)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
