Efecto del tiempo de ayuno sobre el rendimiento en canal y el pH en canales bovinas

Abstract

The ante mortem lapses in Colombia are long, animals do not eat for more than 40 hours in average and this produces high stress levels that affect the quality and the quantity of the meat. Objective. Analyze the effect of the ante mortem waiting time on the performance in carcass and the pH in bovine carcasses. Materials and methods.78 animals were studied (commercial Brahman) with ages between 24 and 27 months and an average weight of 465 kg. They were subjected to two fasting lapses: a short one (20 hours) and a long one (40 hours). The living weights were registered in hot and cold carcass conditions, and the pH was measured post mortem, after 24 hours. Results. The effect of the ante mortem time of wait on the performance in carcass and the decline of the pH 24 hours post mortem in bovine carcasses were analyzed. Significant differences in the pH decline 24 hours post mortem were found, and it was observed that the decrease rate is almost twice in animals with long fasting and the stabilization level is lower. As for the performance in carcass, there were no significant differences in the treatments. Conclusions. The long ante mortem waiting lapses affect the normal decline of the pH 24 hours post mortem, and this affects the meat ́s quality.