Study on the effects of electrical stunning parameters for broilers on biochemical and histological markers of stress and meat quality
Raffaelina Mercogliano A B , Serena Santonicola A , Nicoletta Murru A , Orlando Paciello A , Teresa Bruna Pagano A , Maria Francesca Peruzy A , Tiziana Pepe A , Aniello Anastasio A and Maria Luisa Cortesi A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production – University of Naples, Italy.
B Corresponding author. Email: raffaella.mercogliano@unina.it
Animal Production Science 57(6) 1144-1148 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN15828
Submitted: 22 July 2015 Accepted: 20 May 2016 Published: 2 August 2016
Abstract
This study was designed to investigate physicochemical (pH, peroxides) and histological parameters (glycogen reserve, muscle damages), as pre-slaughter stress markers and quality meat evaluators. Ross commercial broilers was processed, either without stunning (NS Lot), or by combining two current levels of 200 mA, 67 V (HV Lot), and 200 mA, 53 V (MV Lot); with two frequencies of 1000 Hz and 800 Hz, using sinusoidal alternating current. The use of high frequency (800 and 1000 Hz) induced the fastest pH decline, already at 3 h postmortem, in Pectoralis major and Quadriceps femoris of MV and HV Lot carcasses (P < 0.05). Moreover HV carcasses showed a lesser production of superoxide free radicals than the NS Lot and MV Lot carcasses (P < 0.05). Changes in the glycogen reserve and the histological muscle damages did not show significant differences in the analysed Lots. The incidence of individual carcass defects, sufficient to cause downgrading or rejection was generally low in each Lot. To assess animal welfare and quality poultry meat the pH monitoring and measurement of superoxide radical production, as additional and feasible parameters, might be markers easier to use in practice at abattoir.
Additional keyword: poultry meat.
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