The effect of functional load during transportation on indicators of energy exchange in pigs before slaughter

Abstract

The functional load and stress during transportation of animals for slaughter is accompanied by an increase in the energy needs of the body, which can eventually lead to a deterioration in the condition of the animal and a decrease in the quality of meat obtained from it. In this study, to assess the clinical and functional state of the animal before slaughter, the indicators of pig energy exchange were determined under the influence of the functional transport load, which was a metered irritant (damaging factor). The study was conducted under production conditions on 90 healthy Latvian White pigs, aged 6-9 months and weighing 80-100 kg. During the study, the animals were exposed to damaging factors prior to slaughter to determine their ability to withstand physical and stressful conditions during transport and at the slaughterhouse. The results obtained made it possible to evaluate the dynamics of changes in energy exchange indicators before transportation, after delivery to the slaughterhouse and 1 hour before slaughter, to conduct a comparative analysis of glucose levels, lactic acid concentrations in the blood, and changes in the level of buffer base deficiency in the blood under the influence of functional load of varying severity during transportation to the slaughter site. The time allowed for the experimental animals to rest did not fully restore the energy exchange indicators after the load to the initial level. The study established a tendency to decrease aerobic energy production in animal muscles as the transport load increases before slaughter, which reduces the content of acids and glycogen in muscle tissue. As a result, conditions are created that promote the development of microorganisms in meat, which negatively affects its safety. At the same time, the nutritional value of meat raw materials is deteriorating, which is characterized as DFD (dark, firm, dry) meat.