Effects of lairage time and electrical stimulation on sheep meat quality
E. S. Toohey A B and D. L. Hopkins AA NSW Department of Primary Industries, Centre for Sheep Meat Development, PO Box 129, Cowra, NSW 2794, Australia.
B Corresponding author. Email: edwina.toohey@dpi.nsw.gov.au
Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 46(7) 863-867 https://doi.org/10.1071/EA05312
Submitted: 18 October 2005 Accepted: 15 March 2006 Published: 8 June 2006
Abstract
This paper describes an experiment which examined the effects of lairage time and electrical stimulation on meat quality and carcass traits in conventionally chilled sheep meat. The 120 Merino wethers used in this experiment were sourced on farm and were transported to the abattoir and held in a paddock 1 week before slaughter. The animals were then placed into 2 different pens (replicas). The sheep were killed at random either at day 1 (n = 60) or day 2 (n = 60). There were 30 animals taken from both pens 1 and 2 each day. Half of these animals were exposed to high voltage stimulation (30 stimulated) and for the other half the high voltage stimulation was turned off (30 control) each day. There was no significant (P>0.05) effect of lairage time on hot carcass weight, GR, initial pH, shear force or cooking loss. However, lairage time had a significant (P<0.05) effect on final pH and the temperature when the pH reached 6.0. Initial pH, final pH (21 h) and temperature at pH 6.0 were significantly different (P<0.05) between stimulated and non-stimulated carcasses, but there was no effect on cook loss or shear force (P>0.05). A significant (P<0.05) interaction between lairage time and stimulation was found for shear force which showed that non-stimulated meat from sheep held in lairage for 2 days was tougher than that from stimulated carcasses.
Additional keywords: electrical stimulation, lairage, sheep meat quality.
Acknowledgments
The financial support provided by the Australian Sheep Industry CRC is greatly acknowledged. The valuable support and assistance of the management and staff of the meat processing company was paramount in the successful completion of this work and this is recognised.
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