Animals 2017, 7(1), 5; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani7010005
Effects of the Truck Suspension System on Animal Welfare, Carcass and Meat Quality Traits in Pigs
1
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zootecnia, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, University of São Paulo State UNESP-FCAV, Jaboticabal 14884-900, Brazil
2
Grupo de Estudos e Pesquisas em Etologia e Ecologia Animal-ETCO, UNESP/FCAV, Jaboticabal 14884-900, Brazil
3
Embrapa Swine and Poultry, BR 153, Km 110, Concórdia 89700-991, Brazil
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Academic Editors: John J. McGlone and Anna K. Johnson
Received: 20 September 2016 / Revised: 17 November 2016 / Accepted: 21 November 2016 / Published: 18 January 2017
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pig Transport 2016)
Abstract
The objective of this study was to assess the effects of two types of commercial suspension (leaf-spring (LS) vs. air suspension (AS)) installed on two similar double-decked trucks on blood cortisol and lactate concentration, lairage behavior, carcass skin lesions and pork quality traits of 120 crossbred pigs. The suspension type neither influenced pig behaviour in lairage nor blood cortisol and lactate concentrations (p > 0.10). However, when compared with the AS suspension system, the use of LS increased the number of skin lesions in the back and thigh (p = 0.03 and p = 0.01, respectively) and produced thigh with lower pHu (p < 0.001) and yellower colour (higher b* value; p = 0.03), and paler back muscles (subjective colour; p < 0.05), with a tendency to lower pH (p = 0.06). Therefore, the use air suspension system can improve carcass and meat quality traits of pigs transported to slaughter. View Full-TextKeywords:
blood metabolites; transport; truck suspension; stress; lesions; meat quality
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MDPI and ACS Style
Dalla Costa, F.A.; Lopes, L.S.; Dalla Costa, O.A. Effects of the Truck Suspension System on Animal Welfare, Carcass and Meat Quality Traits in Pigs. Animals 2017, 7, 5.
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