Effect of mixing boars during lairage and pre-slaughter handling on pork quality

Abstract

Forty-eight crossbred (Large White x Landrace) boars were used in a 2x2 factorial design to determine the effects of mixing unfamiliar pigs during lairage and the use of electric goads just prior to slaughter on muscle glycogenolysis and subsequent pork quality. The treatments included 2 mixing treatments (familiar pigs kept together during lairage and unfamiliar pigs mixed during lairage) and 2 handling treatments [minimal handling and negative (electric goad) handling pre-slaughter]. Pigs mixed during lairage had lower muscle glycogen and lactic acid at 5 min, 40 min, and 24 h post-slaughter than familiar pigs kept together during lairage. Mixing of unfamiliar boars also resulted in higher..