Abstract
Thirty reindeer bulls (age 1 1/2 years) were subjected to different pre-slaughter treatments to study the effects on ultimate pH values, muscle glycogen content, blood metabolites and abomasal lesions. Gathering and herding into a grazing corral were followed by various selection procedures. Before starting these, a control group of 10 reindeer were captured by lasso and slaughtered outside the grazing corral. Ten reindeer were then selected by hand from a small group of animals (100-150 head) in a small selection corral. Another 10 reindeer were selected from a large herd of about 1000-2000 animals, by the traditional technique of using a lasso. During a 6-hour selection, animals were captured and slaughtered after 1.5 hours (n = 2), 3-5 hours (n = 2), 5 hours (n = 3) and 6 hours (n=3) respectively. The results showed the technique of using a lasso to be stressful and glycogen-depleting, as the two lasso captured groups (the control group and the reindeer exposed to the protracted lasso selection) had the highest ultimate pH values and lowest muscle glycogen values measured. By contrast, the selection procedure where reindeer were captured by hand, was not found to be detrimental to glycogen content and ultimate pH values. Nevertheless, both selection techniques expose the reindeer to acute stress during the capture and manual restraint, which in the present study was reflected in high plasma Cortisol values in all treatment groups. The frequency of abomasal lesions was highest in the group of reindeer subjected to the prolonged selection procedure. No connection between technological and sensory meat quality was found in this study. The technique of selecting animals by hand ought to be further developed so that existing practical problems can be solved. The technique could then be recommended for wider use.
Highlights
The pre-slaughter handling of reindeer is nowadays mostly a modern management procedure which is dependent on mechanical aids such as motorcycles, snowmobiles, helicopters and lorries
In this study it was clearly demonstrated that the pre-slaughter selection techniques variously affected the ultimate p H values of the meat and the muscle glycogen stores
Though all the 10 reindeer in group A were captured by lasso within 30 min, their muscle glycogen values were very low in all muscles studied {Mm. longissimus, biceps femoris and triceps brachii) and indistinguishable from those of reindeer in group C which were traditionally selected by lasso during 6 hours
Summary
The pre-slaughter handling of reindeer is nowadays mostly a modern management procedure which is dependent on mechanical aids such as motorcycles, snowmobiles, helicopters and lorries. A small group of stunned with a captive bolt just outside animals (100-150 head) were the selection corral. The purpose of the present investigation was to study and compare the effects of two commonly used pre-slaughter selection procedures for reindeer (by using a lasso or by catching the animals by hand) on technological (ultimate p H and glycogen content) and sensory meat quality. Another objective was to study the effects on stress-induced blood metabolites and pathological changes in the abomasal mucosa after these two pre-slaughter selection procedures
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