Effects of applying preslaughter feed withdrawal at the abattoir on behaviour, blood parameters and meat quality in pigs. (September 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Dalla Costa, F.A.; Devillers, N.; Paranhos da Costa, M.J.R.; Faucitano, L.
• Is Part Of: Meat science. Volume 119(2016:Sep.)
• Page Start: 89
• Page End: 94
• Publication Date: 2016-09
• Subjects: Behaviour -- Fasting -- Lairage time -- Meat quality -- Pigs -- Stress; Meat -- Periodicals; Meat industry and trade -- Periodicals; Viande -- Périodiques; Viande -- Industrie -- Périodiques; Meat; Meat industry and trade; Periodicals; 641.36
• DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2016.03.033
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0309-1740

Abstract

Abstract: To study the effects of starting time of feed withdrawal on behaviour during loading and lairage, and meat quality (pH, colour and drip loss) in pigs, a total of 700 pigs were distributed into two groups. One group (FARM) was fasted for 18 h at the farm before transport and for 6 h before slaughter (including 2 h transport and 4 h lairage), while for the other group (PLANT) fasting time started at the departure from the farm (2 h transport plus 22 h lairage). Total fasting time was 24 h before slaughter for both groups. Fasting treatments did not influence blood parameters. PLANT pigs had longer fights ( P < 0.05) than FARM pigs during lairage and produced darker ( P = 0.02) and drier ( P = 0.03) loins. Based on the results of this study, it may be preferable to commence feed withdrawal at the farm.