Assessment of Stress by Serum Biomarkers in Calves and Their Relationship to Ultimate pH as an Indicator of Meat Quality

Abstract

Seventy-eight calves from Asturiana de los Valles, Retinta, and Rubia Gallega breeds, under extensive and intensive farm systems and animal mixing and non-mixing conditions, and during the transport and lairage in slaughterhouses, were studied. This research aimed to study the effect of breed, farm system and mixing conditions on serum biomarkers (cortisol, lactate, glucose, serum amyloid A, haptoglobin, and C-reactive protein) and their relationship pHu at slaughter time, and to evaluate the response of the serum biomarkers of calves throughout fattening period. Moreover, this study aims to evaluate the response of the biomarkers in each breed during the fattening period. At slaughter time, cortisol and lactate were affected by BreedxFarm; Retinta showed the opposite pattern to the others and revealed the highest glucose in extensive farm systems. Rubia Gallega in mixing revealed the highest Amyloid A and haptoglobin. Extensive calves in mixing conditions showed the highest glucose. There was a relationship among the variables cortisol, lactate, Amyloid, and pHu. Slaughter time was a major stressor, and the stress response was mainly affected by breed. At slaughter, several biomarkers should be considered.

New Insights on the Impact of Cattle Handling on Post-Mortem Myofibrillar Muscle Proteome and Meat Tenderization

“…Overall, meat from animals of the I-M group showed redder meat and a lower tenderization rate, which could together be related to higher PSS. In fact, previous studies of the serum biomarkers of stress (cortisol, lactate, glucose, amyloid A, and haptoglobin) in this group of animals [ 9 , 18 ] evidenced that I-M animals were the most sensitive to stress reactivity, as indicated by its high serum haptoglobin levels.…”

“…On the other hand, animal handling may affect animal’s emotional state, hence inducing pre-slaughter stress (PSS), whose influence on the post-mortem process of muscle-to-meat conversion has been shown in pigs [ 13 , 14 ] and in cattle [ 3 , 9 , 10 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 ]. Those biochemical changes were evidenced using several high-throughput OMICs methods, including proteomics that revealed, for instance, that the meat tenderizing process involves myriad pathways, such as the degradation of structural proteins, energy metabolism pathways, response to stress, apoptosis, autophagy, and signaling pathways [ 19 , 20 ] as confirmed recently by the integromics meta-analysis study of Gagaoua et al [ 21 ].…”

Quality of Death in Fighting Bulls during Bullfights: Neurobiology and Physiological Responses

“…During bullfights, the physiometabolic responses correspond mainly to the presence of different types of stressors, such as physical (tissue injury, pathologies, pain [3]), environmental (extreme weather, microclimate, nutrition, handling [4], transportation [5], noise [6]), and psychosocial factors (social isolation, overcrowding, pain, fear or distress [7]). For fighting bulls, similar to any other mammal, the response degree and the consequence in their homeostasis depends on the stressor type, the duration of the stimulus, and the previous experiences of the animal [8,9].…”

Comparison of the Automatic and Manual Broiler Pre-Slaughter Chain Based on Trailer Microclimate during Transportation and Its Effect on m. pectoralis major

“…The climatic conditions in crates and trailers are frequently overlooked while transporting poultry [8]. Poor welfare quality related to morbid conditions during transportation, caused by the thermal environment and pressure of transportation (air movement, low ambient temperature, and winter precipitation) and the decline in meat quality of slaughtered birds, cause big economic losses [9,10]. Stressful events (as well as interactions between animals and humans) trigger reactions in animals that translate into physical, physiological, and behavioral stress [10,11].…”

“…Poor welfare quality related to morbid conditions during transportation, caused by the thermal environment and pressure of transportation (air movement, low ambient temperature, and winter precipitation) and the decline in meat quality of slaughtered birds, cause big economic losses [9,10]. Stressful events (as well as interactions between animals and humans) trigger reactions in animals that translate into physical, physiological, and behavioral stress [10,11]. Although the genetic selection of broilers has greatly improved the growth rate and production efficiency, these advances may also be related to the reduced resistance to heat or cold stress and muscle pathology.…”