Abstract
<p>Beef quality parameters can be negatively affected by pre-slaughter stress. Slaughter via gunshot directly on the pasture appears to be suitable for the reduction of pre-slaughter stress by avoiding stressors such as transportation, lairage and human contact. The effect of slaughtering via gunshot on sensory and objective measures of beef quality parameters for the <em>Musculus longissimus dorsi </em>of Galloway steers was analyzed and compared to conventional slaughter at the abattoir using captive-bolt stunning. The Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) was significantly (P &lt; 0.01) lower for the meat of the animals slaughtered via gunshot (arithmetic mean (AM) gunshot: 4.34 kg; AM captive-bolt pistol: 4.77 kg). However, trained assessors were not able to recognize this difference (P &gt; 0.05). No significant differences (P &gt; 0.05) were observed for cooking loss and the sensory quality evaluation of juiciness. As measured by the WBSF, the meat of the animals slaughtered via gunshot was slightly more tender than was the meat of the animals stunned with a captive-bolt pistol. However, for the cooking loss and sensory evaluations, no effect of the slaughter methods was observed. Nevertheless, this study reveals the potential that slaughter via gunshot provides for the improvement of beef quality.</p>
Highlights
Pre-slaughter stress, such as transportation, lairage at the abattoir and human contact, may result in an unintended deterioration of meat quality parameters, such as tenderness and juiciness, by affecting the animals’ metabolic processes (Arthington, Eichert, Kunkle, & Martin, 2003; Honkavaara, Rintasalo, Ylönen, & Pudas, 2003; Warriss, 2003; Immonen & Puolanne, 2000)
The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of on-farm slaughter via gunshot on beef quality parameters in comparison to captive-bolt stunning at the abattoir using both sensory and objective measures
Tenderness is considered a key factor of meat quality and consumer acceptance
Summary
Pre-slaughter stress, such as transportation, lairage at the abattoir and human contact, may result in an unintended deterioration of meat quality parameters, such as tenderness and juiciness, by affecting the animals’ metabolic processes (Arthington, Eichert, Kunkle, & Martin, 2003; Honkavaara, Rintasalo, Ylönen, & Pudas, 2003; Warriss, 2003; Immonen & Puolanne, 2000). Pre-slaughter stress affects animals that have not habituated to external stressors, such as animals held in year-round free range (Ferguson & Warner, 2008; Grandin, 1997; Hastings, Abbott, George, & Stadler, 1992). The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of on-farm slaughter via gunshot on beef quality parameters in comparison to captive-bolt stunning at the abattoir using both sensory and objective measures. Toward this end, the study examines whether trained assessors are able to detect instrumentally observed differences
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