title: Effects of pre-slaughter diet/management system and fasting period on physiological indicators and meat quality traits of lambs.
abstract: This study determined the effects of pre-slaughter diet/management system on blood and rumen parameters and meat-quality traits of Norduz lambs. Eighty lambs were divided into two groups according to diet (AH: alfalfa hay; BAH: alfalfa supplemented with 500 g/head barley) for 21 days. Following this period, lambs from each group were distributed among four groups according to pre-slaughter fasting period as 0, 12, 24 or 48 h. Cortisol concentrations were found to be significantly higher in the 24 h and 48 h groups when compared to the 0 h group (p<0.01). Diet and fasting period had limited effect on muscle glycogen content and ultimate pH·L*, WHC and moisture decreased in line with increases in the fasting period (p<0.01). In conclusion, carcass conformation and some meat quality traits were better in BAH lambs. Fasting had a negative effect on some meat quality parameters, with significant increases in some physiological stress indicators after fasting periods of 24 h or longer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Yuzuncu Yıl University, 65080, Van, Turkey. Electronic address: serhatkaraca@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Serhat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karaca
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Yuzuncu Yıl University, 65080, Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sibel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Erdoğan
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Yuzuncu Yıl University, 65080, Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: Dilek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kor
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Yuzuncu Yıl University, 65080, Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: Aşkın
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kor
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis*; D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary*; D005508:Food Deprivation; D008460:Meat / Q000592:standards*; D012417:Rumen / Q000502:physiology; D012756:Sheep
keywords: Barley; Carcass; Cortisol; Muscle glycogen; Pre-slaughter stress