Main Pre-slaughter Factors Affecting Carcass Bruising and Meat Quality in Beef Cattle

Overview

Journal Vet Res Commun

Publisher Springer

Specialty Veterinary Medicine

Date 2024 Dec 26

PMID 39724473

Authors

Ivan Vicic

Milos Zi Petrovic

Nikola cobanovic

Mirjana Dimitrijevic

Nevena Grkovic

Milijana Sindic

Nedjeljko Karabasil

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the prevalence of carcass bruising in Simmental cross-breed bulls and to characterize the bruises in terms of number, size, shape, severity, and the affected region of the carcass. In addition, the risk factors related to the pre-harvested and harvested phase of beef production and meat quality parameters, as well, were investigated. The prevalence of bruised carcasses was 40.6% (95% confidence interval, CI = 35.4-46.0%). The main risk factors related to carcass bruising were procurement of the bulls from the auction markets (odds ratio, OR = 2.94, 95% CI = 1.65-5.26) compared to the bulls that came directly from the farms and inadequate practice in the combined type of slaughterhouses (type A: OR = 6.86, 95% CI = 3.53-13.37; type B: OR = 4.76, 95% CI = 2.26-10.01) relative to the beef-only slaughterhouses (P = 0.0001). Out of the total investigated bruises, 40.7% were severe, affecting muscular parts and mainly localized on the rear parts of the carcasses. The probability of severe bruises was higher in bulls with at least one large-sized bruise than in bulls without bruises of that size (OR = 3.10, 95% CI = 1.42-6.78, P = 0.005). Concerning the risk factors, the dark cutting occurrence was significantly lower in the bull's carcasses originating from the farms and completely absent in beef-only slaughterhouses (P = 0.001). Improvement of facilities and equipment, avoiding transport through markets, and training of staff in terms of animal welfare are crucial in obtaining a concept of safe and better quality food.

References

Paranhos da Costa M, Huertas S, Gallo C, Dalla Costa O . Strategies to promote farm animal welfare in Latin America and their effects on carcass and meat quality traits. Meat Sci. 2012; 92(3):221-6. DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2012.03.005. View

Grandin T . Animal welfare and society concerns finding the missing link. Meat Sci. 2014; 98(3):461-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2014.05.011. View

Honikel K . Reference methods for the assessment of physical characteristics of meat. Meat Sci. 2011; 49(4):447-57. DOI: 10.1016/s0309-1740(98)00034-5. View

Huertas S, van Eerdenburg F, Gil A, Piaggio J . Prevalence of carcass bruises as an indicator of welfare in beef cattle and the relation to the economic impact. Vet Med Sci. 2017; 1(1):9-15. PMC: 5645810. DOI: 10.1002/vms3.2. View

Ijaz M, Li X, Zhang D, Hussain Z, Ren C, Bai Y . Association between meat color of DFD beef and other quality attributes. Meat Sci. 2019; 161:107954. DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2019.107954. View

Lu X, Zhang Y, Qin L, Ma W, Zhu L, Luo X . Association of ultimate pH and stress-related blood variables in cattle. Meat Sci. 2018; 139:228-230. DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2018.02.004. View

Mendonca F, Vaz R, Vaz F, Leal W, Silveira I, Restle J . Causes of bruising in carcasses of beef cattle during farm, transport, and slaughterhouse handling in Brazil. Anim Sci J. 2018; 90(2):288-296. DOI: 10.1111/asj.13151. View

Miranda-de la Lama G, Villarroel M, Maria G . Livestock transport from the perspective of the pre-slaughter logistic chain: a review. Meat Sci. 2014; 98(1):9-20. DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2014.04.005. View

Odore R, DAngelo A, Badino P, Bellino C, Pagliasso S, Re G . Road transportation affects blood hormone levels and lymphocyte glucocorticoid and beta-adrenergic receptor concentrations in calves. Vet J. 2004; 168(3):297-303. DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2003.09.008. View

10.

Ozdemir S, Ekiz B . Effects of certain risk factors on presence and severity of carcass bruising in cattle: A study in Turkey. Meat Sci. 2023; 202:109199. DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2023.109199. View

11.

Picard B, Gagaoua M . Muscle Fiber Properties in Cattle and Their Relationships with Meat Qualities: An Overview. J Agric Food Chem. 2020; 68(22):6021-6039. DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.0c02086. View

12.

Romero M, Uribe-Velasquez L, Sanchez J, Miranda-de la Lama G . Risk factors influencing bruising and high muscle pH in Colombian cattle carcasses due to transport and pre-slaughter operations. Meat Sci. 2013; 95(2):256-63. DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2013.05.014. View

13.

Romero M, Rodriguez-Palomares M, Sanchez J . Animal-Based Measurements to Assess the Welfare of Dairy Cull Cows during Pre-Slaughter. Animals (Basel). 2020; 10(10). PMC: 7600963. DOI: 10.3390/ani10101802. View

14.

Strappini A, Frankena K, Metz J, Gallo C, Kemp B . Characteristics of bruises in carcasses of cows sourced from farms or from livestock markets. Animal. 2012; 6(3):502-9. DOI: 10.1017/S1751731111001698. View

15.

Strappini A, Metz J, Gallo C, Frankena K, Vargas R, de Freslon I . Bruises in culled cows: when, where and how are they inflicted?. Animal. 2012; 7(3):485-91. DOI: 10.1017/S1751731112001863. View

16.

Villarroel M, Maria G, Sierra I, Sanudo C, Garcia-Belenguer S, Gebresenbet G . Critical points in the transport of cattle to slaughter in Spain that may compromise the animals' welfare. Vet Rec. 2001; 149(6):173-6. DOI: 10.1136/vr.149.6.173. View

17.

Weeks C, McNally P, Warriss P . Influence of the design of facilities at auction markets and animal handling procedures on bruising in cattle. Vet Rec. 2002; 150(24):743-8. DOI: 10.1136/vr.150.24.743. View

18.

Zanardi E, De Luca S, Alborali G, Ianieri A, Varra M, Romeo C . Relationship between Bruises on Carcasses of Beef Cattle and Transport-Related Factors. Animals (Basel). 2022; 12(15). PMC: 9367580. DOI: 10.3390/ani12151997. View