Acute stress induced by the preslaughter use of electric prodders causes tougher beef meat

R. D. Warner; D. M. Ferguson; J. J. Cottrell; B. W. Knee

doi:10.1071/EA05155

RESEARCH FRONT (Open Access)

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Acute stress induced by the preslaughter use of electric prodders causes tougher beef meat

R. D. Warner ^A ^B ^E , D. M. Ferguson ^C , J. J. Cottrell ^B and B. W. Knee ^D

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A Cooperative Research Centre for Cattle and Beef Quality.

^B Department of Primary Industries, 600 Sneydes Road, Werribee, Vic. 3030, Australia.

^C CSIRO Livestock Industries, F.D. McMaster Laboratory, Chiswick, Armidale, NSW 2350, Australia.

^D Department of Primary Industries, Mount Napier Road, Hamilton, Vic. 3300, Australia.

^E Corresponding author. Email: robyn.warner@dpi.vic.gov.au

Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 47(7) 782-788 https://doi.org/10.1071/EA05155
Submitted: 10 June 2005 Accepted: 28 March 2007 Published: 2 July 2007

Abstract

Adrenergic activation and hormone release preslaughter is an inevitable outcome of the systems used to move cattle to slaughter. The aim of this experiment was to investigate the effects of acute preslaughter stress in beef cattle on postmortem muscle metabolism and the meat quality, including consumer-assessed eating quality. Eighty-four cattle were used on three separate days, with ‘mobs’ of four cattle allocated to either a ‘control’ (no electric goads used preslaughter) or a ‘stress’ (six prods given with an electric goad over 5–10 min) treatment at 15 min preslaughter. Cattle undergoing the ‘stress’ treatment had higher plasma lactate at slaughter. The prerigor pH and temperature, ultimate pH and temperature at rigor of the longissimus thoracis muscle were similar between treatments (P > 0.05 for all). The water-holding capacity of the longissimus lumborum was reduced by the ‘stress’ treatment, as indicated by higher levels of water lost during suspension (drip loss), storage (purge) for 21 days and cooking (cooking loss at 1 day postslaughter) (P < 0.05 for all). ‘Stress’ cattle produced longissimus lumborum muscle with similar sarcomere lengths and Warner–Bratzler shear force at 2, 6 and 21 days, compared to ‘control’ cattle (P < 0.05 for all). The longissimus lumborum muscle of cattle undergoing the ‘stress’ treatment was rated less tender, less juicy, with a less acceptable flavour, a lower ‘liking’ and a lower MQ4 score (P < 0.05 for all). The ‘bloomed’ surface colour (CIE L^*, a^*, b^*) of the longissimus lumborum muscle at 2, 6 and 21 days postslaughter was similar between the ‘stress’ and ‘control’ treatments (P > 0.05 for all). In conclusion, cattle subjected to acute preslaughter stress using electric goads produced meat which the consumer rated as tougher with inferior quality. The inferior quality induced by the acute stress treatment was associated with reduced water-holding capacity but was independent of muscle pH and temperature.

Acknowledgements

This research was funded by the Cooperative Research Centre for Beef, Meat Standards Australia and Meat and Livestock Australia. We thank Matthew Kerr, Peter Walker and Paul Weston for their technical assistance. The biometrical input of Kym Butler is gratefully acknowledged. The study could not have occurred without the cattle provided by Coles Supermarkets through Charlton Feedlot and Kaladbro feedlot and the assistance provided by staff at G and K O’Connor. In particular, the assistance of John Skelton of Coles Supermarkets, Australia, David McKibbin of Coles Supermarkets, Australia and Hamish MacKinnon of Kaladbro is appreciated. We also thank Lotte Nielsen, a student from the Swedish Agricultural University in Uppsala, Sweden, for her input into one of the replicates for the study.

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