Effects of Heat Stress and Climate Change Induced Bushfires on Beef Meat Quality

Abstract

Heat stress is considered a very stressful event for livestock, and it has detrimental consequences for not only animal health and productivity but also product quality. During bushfires, which are increasingly prevalent under climate change, animals can be exposed to extreme heat stress events. Ruminants are very prone to heat stress because of increased metabolic rate. Under the influence of chronic heat stress, ruminants exhibit a reduction of muscle glycogen concentration, which leads to increased, ultimate pH and WHC, producing the quality defect of dark-cutting meat. In addition, heat stress causes extended protein and lipid oxidation, oxidative stress and shelf life reduction of meat...