Effects of preslaughter stress intensities on animal welfare, physiological responses, muscle biochemistry, carcass and meat quality in goats

Preslaughter stress intensities, such as inappropriate handling of animals prior to slaughter and slaughter ambient, have a significant impact on animal welfare and meat quality. The present study evaluated the effects of training of livestock handlers and exposure to the act of slaughter on various behavioral, physiological, muscle biochemistry, and meat quality parameters in goats. A total of 6 handlers were divided into trained (trained in animal handling, behavior, and welfare), contact trained (not trained directly but interacted and visualized the handling by trained handlers), and untrained groups (not undergone training), with 2 handlers in each group. A total of 18 goats (Boer cross, bucks, 8-12 months of age, 25-30 kg live weight) were used in the study. Various behavioral, physiological, electroencephalogram variable, and bloodbiochemical parameters were recorded before handling at the lairage and after handling at the slaughter point goats. The goats were halal slaughtered into three groups viz., Control (slaughtered alone), E (exposed to act of slaughter), and S (slaughtered in front of E). The Longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) muscle was used to evaluate various meat quality parameters on days 0, 1, and 5 during aging under refrigeration. The goats handled by untrained and contact-trained handlers were recorded with significant (p<0.05) increase in the electroencephalogram (EEG) spectrum (beta waves, theta waves, and median frequency), intense vocalization, significant (p<0.05) increase in heart rate and blood glucose, and nor-adrenaline. The exposure of the goats to the slaughter resulted in a significant (p<0.05) increase in the EEG spectrum (beta waves, theta waves, and median frequency), lactate dehydrogenase, nor-adrenaline, and β-endorphin. The exposure to slaughter ambient in goats was observed to have a significant (p < 0.05) effect on muscle pH, glycogen content, and cooking loss. Thus, the present study highlighted the importance of training livestock handlers to improve human-animal interactions and slaughtering goats without exposure to the slaughter of conspecific to improve animal welfare and meat quality. These findings could help in harmonizing all practices of slaughter and improving animal welfare while fulfilling religious and customary demands.

Text 123061.pdf Download (1MB) Official URL or Download Paper: https://ethesis.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/18693

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