Lairage periods on temperament score and meat quality of beef cattle

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of lairage periods on the temperament, physiological indicators of stress, and meat quality of beef cattle. Thirty-two castrated Aberdeen Angus x Nellore crossbred steers were distributed into four lairage periods: 12, 18, 24, and 48 hours. The following variables were evaluated: serum levels of the physiological indicators of stress glucose and cortisol (upon arrival at the slaughterhouse, after the lairage period, and at bleeding), animal temperament (movement, resistance to approach, and aggressiveness), and meat quality (final pH, water-holding capacity, color parameters, and tenderness). With a longer lairage period, the temperament score was higher, indicating that the animals were more agitated and resistant to human approach. Serum cortisol and glucose levels correlate positively with animal temperament and negatively with meat quality. At bleeding, an increase was observed in glucose and cortisol levels, respectively, for lairage periods longer than 24 hours and of 12 hours. The lairage of 48 hours reduces meat tenderness and water-holding capacity.

Effect of good handling on stress indicators and behaviour in beef cattle

“…This demonstrates that cattle are able to memorise the handling they receive (Ceballos et al, 2016(Ceballos et al, , 2018 and by means of these experiences, react adversely or favourably when exposed to these experiences again. The more reactive the animal, the greater the concentration of plasma cortisol during moments which are different to its natural environment or to the type of handling used against it (Carvalho et al, 2020;Moura et al, 2021). Plasma glucose concentrations, on the other hand, increase during moments of peak stress (Carvalho et al, 2020).…”

Sex and animal behavior on yield and bruises in different beef cuts

“…Behavioral assessments were performed after the animals had spent one hour in the lairage pens so that they could drink water and acclimatize to the facilities (Moura et al, 2021). Animal temperament was measured according to the behavior of the lot in the face of human presence, which was quantified by a subjective assessment based on the reaction and movement of the animals.…”

“…Pre-slaughter handling causes stress to animals (Moura et al, 2021), which in turn influences the occurrence of bruising (Mendonça et al, 2016a(Mendonça et al, , 2019Bethancourt-Garcia et al, 2019a,b), a determining factor for carcass losses and decreased yields. The human-animal-environment interaction on farms or in slaughterhouses can aggravate animal stress, warranting a more profound understanding of this situation, besides proper management.…”