The effects of the pre-slaughter showering on bleeding efficiency and biochemical changes of beef

Abstract

To determine the effects of the pre-slaughter showering on some meat quality parameters, the biochernical changes in the Longus colli muscle and the bleeding efficiency were studied. Thirty-six Nelore steers were slaughtered in a commercial slaughterhouse. Eighteen animals were submitted to pre-slaughter showering; a control group of eighteen animals were slaughtered without showering. Samples were collected for evaluations in the muscle depth, in the anterior portion of Longus colli muscle, just before chilling. Bleeding efficiency was evaluated through the ratio of muscle haemoglobin/ blood haemoglobin using blood samples taken five seconds after bleeding, and muscle sample taken before chilling. Longus colli muscle samples were also used to determine glycogen, glucose, pH and acidity, 5, 24 and 48 hours after slaughtering. Multivariate methods were used to evaluate biochemical data and the bleeding efficiency data analysis followed the randomized block design. Haemoglobin retained in the muscle and bleeding efficiency were not affected (P>.05) by pre-slaughter showering. The pre-slaughter showering did not affect (P>.05) the glycolysis. There was a significant effect of time in glycogen, glucose, pH and acidity, in the first 24 hours.