EFFECTS OF STOCKING DENSITY OF LAMBS ON BIOCHEMICAL STRESS PARAMETERS AND MEAT QUALITY RELATED TO COMMERCIAL TRANSPORTATION

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Teke B., EKİZ B., Akdağ F., Uğurlu M., Çiftci G., Şentürk B.

ANNALS OF ANIMAL SCIENCE, cilt.14, sa.3, ss.611-621, 2014 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 14 Sayı: 3
  • Basım Tarihi: 2014
  • Doi Numarası: 10.2478/aoas-2014-0012
  • Dergi Adı: ANNALS OF ANIMAL SCIENCE
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.611-621
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: lamb, meat quality, road transportation, stocking density, stress parameters, LONG-DISTANCE TRANSPORTATION, ROAD TRANSPORTATION, PHYSIOLOGICAL-RESPONSES, BLOOD METABOLITE, HEAT-STRESS, SHEEP, CARCASS, SLAUGHTER, WELFARE, BEHAVIOR
  • Ondokuz Mayıs Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of stocking density (0.20 and 0.27 m(2)/lamb) during transportation on certain biochemical stress parameters and meat quality characteristics of fifty-five Karayaka lambs divided into two groups. The front compartment of the trailer was loaded at high stocking density (HD: 0.20 m(2)/lamb; n=33) and the remainder was loaded at low stocking density (LD: 0.27 m(2)/lamb; n=22). The distance was approximately 130 km and duration was 2 h 15 min. Blood samples were taken just before and just after transportation. Glucose (P<0.001), lactate (P<0.001), cortisol (P<0.01), creatine kinase (CK) (P<0.01), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) (P<0.01) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (P<0.05) levels were significantly higher in lambs of the HD group than in the LD group. The effects of stocking density on pH, proportion of expressed juice, cooking loss, Warner-Bratzler shear force value and meat colour parameters were not significant (P>0.05). Transportation with a stocking density of 0.20 m(2)/lamb resulted in higher stress responses in lambs compared with a stocking density of 0.27 m(2)/lamb. However, increased stress in the HD group did not lead to any adverse effects on meat quality characteristics. In the determination of stocking density, a compromise that gives animal welfare and commercial objectives equal status would improve the current situation.