title: Effects of pre-slaughter showering and ventilation on stress, meat quality and metabolite concentrations of broilers in summer.
abstract: Effects of pre-slaughter showering and ventilation on stress, meat quality and energy metabolism of broilers in summer were investigated. After transport, 84 Arbor Acres broilers were randomly divided into four treatment groups: (i) control group without ventilation and showering (C); (ii) 10 min ventilation without showering (VWS); (iii) 10 min showering without ventilation (SWV); (iv) 5 min showering and then 5 min ventilation (SV). Compared with the control group, plasma lactate dehydrogenase and creatine kinase activities in the other three treatment groups were (P < 0.05) lower; however, the plasma glucose level did not show any significant changes among all the groups. The breast meat in the SV group had significantly (P < 0.05) higher pHu , glycogen content, lower L*, ΔpH, drip loss, cook loss, R-value and lactate content than the control group; however, there was no significant difference in shear force values among all the groups. In conclusion, this study indicated broilers in the SV group showed a lower stress level and greater meat quality, which suggest that showering and ventilation after transportation may be a good measure to relieve stress caused by transport under high temperature and improve the meat quality of broilers.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Meat Processing and Quality Control, Ministry of Education China, Synergetic Innovation Center of Food Safety and Nutrition, College of Food Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Nannan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Meat Processing and Quality Control, Ministry of Education China, Synergetic Innovation Center of Food Safety and Nutrition, College of Food Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Tong
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Xing
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Meat Processing and Quality Control, Ministry of Education China, Synergetic Innovation Center of Food Safety and Nutrition, College of Food Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Xinglian
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000003:Abattoirs; D000827:Animal Welfare; D000818:Animals; D001494:Baths / Q000379:methods*; D002645:Chickens / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000378:metabolism; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D063427:Food Quality; D006003:Glycogen / Q000032:analysis; D006358:Hot Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D007773:Lactates / Q000032:analysis; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis; D012621:Seasons; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*; D014186:Transportation; D014691:Ventilation / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D007773:Lactates; D006003:Glycogen; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D003402:Creatine Kinase
keywords: broiler; meat quality; showing; stress; ventilation