title: The effect of swimming lambs and subsequent resting periods on the ultimate pH of meat.
abstract: The effect of washing lambs in a swim-through bath and subsequent resting periods in the stockyards on the ultimate pH of the M. longissimus dorsi (LD) was studied in 662 animals at a meat export works. There was a linear relationship between the number of times the animals were washed and mean ultimate pH of the LD but there was no statistical association between the duration of the resting period after washing and the ultimate pH. The mean ultimate pH of meat from Perendale lambs from one farm was significantly greater than that recorded from Romney lambs from another farm. It is suggested that such differences may be related to variations in behavioural response and catecholamine secretion in these groups of animals.
authors: Department of Veterinary Pathology and Public Health, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
authors: G V
authors: GV
authors: Petersen