THE PROBLEM OF DARK-CUTTING IN BEEF CURRENT TOPICS IN VETERINARY MEDICINE AND ANIMAL SCIENCE VOLUME 10 Other titles in this series Volume 1 Control of Reproduction in the Cow edited by J.M. Sreenan Volume 2 Patterns of Growth and Development in Cattle edited by H. de Boer and J. Martin Volume 3 Respiratory Diseases in Cattle edited by W.B. Martin Volume 4 Calving Problems and Early Viability of the Calf edited by B. Hoffmann, LL. Mason and J. Schmidt Volume 5 The Future of Beef Production in the European Community edited by J.C". Bowman and P. Susmel Volume 6 Diseases of Cattle in the Tropics: Economic and Zoonotic Relevance edited by M. Ristic Volume 7 Control of Reproductive Functions in Domestic Animals edited by W. Jilchle and D.R. Lamond Volume 8 The Laying Hen and its Environment edited by R. Moss Volume 9 Epidemiology and Control of Nematodiasis in Cattle edited by P. Nansen, R.J. J~rgensen and E.J.L. Soulsby Series ISBN: 90-247-2429-5 THE PROBLEM OF DARK-CUTTING IN BEEF A Seminar in the EEC Programme of Coordination of Research on Animal Welfare, organised by D.E. Hood and P.V. Tarrant, and held in Brussels, October 7-8, 1980 Sponsored by the Commission of the European Communities, Directorate-General for Agriculture, Coordination of Agricultural Research Edited by D.E. Hood and P.V. Tarrant Meat Research Department, An Foras Taluntais, Dunsinea Research Centre, Castleknock, Co. Dublin, Ireland MARTINUS NIJHOFF PUBLISHERS THE HAGUE / BOSTON / LONDON for THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES Distributors for the United States and Canada Kluwer Boston, Inc. 190 Old Derby Street Hingham, MA 02043 USA jor all other countries Kluwer Academic Publishers Group Distribution Center P.O. Box 322 3300 AH Dordrecht The Netherlands This volume is listed in the Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data ISBN-13: 978-94-009-8324-3 c-ISBN-13: 978-94-009-8322-9 DOl: 10.1007/978-94-009-8322-9 ISBN 90-247-2429-5 (series) Publication arranged by Commission of the European Communities, Directorate-General Scientific and Technical Information and Information Management EUR 7328 EN ©ECSC, EEC, EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1981 Softcovcr reprint of the hardcover I st edition 1981 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission. Manuscript Preparation by Y'"' Janssen Services, 33a High Street, Chislehurst, Kent BR7 5AE, UK LEGAL NOTICE Neither the Commission of the European Communities nor any person acting on behalf of the Commission is responsible for the use which might be made of the following information. v CONTENTS Page Preface............................................... .......................... ... IX INTRODUCTION .................................................................. XI SESSION I: QUALITY ASPECTS THE OCCURRENCE, CAUSES AND ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES OF DARK CUTTING IN BEEF - A SURVEY OF CURRENT INFORMATION P.V. Tarrant ................................................................ . DISCUSSION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 BEEF QUALITY, MARKETING AND THE CONSUMER B.L. Dumont... . . .. . .. . . . .. . . .. . . . ... . . . . . . .. . . . .. . . .. . . . .. . . .. . . . .. . . . . . . . . . 37 DISCUSSION ............................................................... . 58 SESSION II: MUSCLE METABOLISM AND ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY MUSCLE METABOLIC TYPE AND THE DFD CONDITION G.Monin...................... .............. ......... ............. .......... 63 DISCUSSION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 CONTROL MECHANISMS FOR THE ENZYMES OF GLYCOGEN METABOLISM IN MUSCLE J.J.A. Heffron.... .......................................................... . 86 DISCUSSION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE METABOLISM OF CARBOHYDRATE IN RUMINANTS COMPARED WITH OTHER MAMMALS D.H. Lindsay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. lOl DISCUSSION. . .. . . .. . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . . .. . . .. . .. .. . ... . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. .. . ... .. 122 SESSION III: ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR AND THE ENVIRONMENT ENVIRONMENTAL AND BEHAVIOURAL INFLUENCES ON THE SUPPLY OF ENERGY FOR MUSCLE DURING LIFE AND CONSEQUENCES POSTMORTEM D. Lister and G.S.G. Spencer. . . .. . . . .. . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . ... . . ... . .. .. 129 BEHAVIOUR OF DOMESTIC CATTLE UNDER MODERN MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES Marie-France Bouissou. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 141 DISCUSSION. ... . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . .. . . .. . . . .. . ... . . . .. .. . . . . .. 165 ANIMAL WELFARE IN RELATION TO TRANSPORT, LAIRAGE AND SLAUGHTER IN CATTLE (A REVIEW) J.G. Van Logtestijn and A.M.C.S. Romme ....................................... 170 DISCUSSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 184 SESSION IV: GENETIC INFLUENCES ON MEAT QUALITY HEREDITARY ASPECTS OF SUSCEPTIBILITY TO STRESS IN MEAT ANIMALS G. Eikelenboom .............................................................. 189 DISCUSSION. . ... . .. . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . .. . . .. .. . .. . . .. . . . .. . . . . . .. 196 DOUBLE-MUSCLING AND SENSITIVITY TO STRESS G. Monin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 199 VI DISCUSSION ... 209 SESSION V: IDENTIFICATION AND PREVENTION OF DARK-CUTTING PREVENTIVE TREATMENTS DURING THE PRE-SLAUGHTER PERIOD H.B. Hedrick .... 213 DISCUSSION 229 EARLY IDENTIFICATION OF THE DFD CONDITION IN PRE-RIGOR BEEF CARCASSES C.L. Davey and A.E. Graatbuis .. 231 DISCUSSION ..... . 248 ELECTRICAL STIMULATION OF ANTE MORTEM STRESSED BEEF T.R. Dutson, 1.W. Savell and G.C. Smith ..... 253 DISCUSSION ... 259 ANIMAL STRESS AND ITS EFFECT ON RIGOR MORTIS DEVELOPMENT IN LABS B.B. Chrystall, C.E. Devine, c.L. Davey and A.H. Kirton. 269 DISCUSSION 283 IDENTIFICATION AND MINIMISATION OF DFD IN YOUNG BULLS IN DENMARK Lis Buchter. 289 DISCUSSION 300 SESSION VI: MICROBIOLOGICAL, TECHNOLOGICAL AND ORGANOLEPTIC PROPERTIES MICROBIOLOGY OF DFD BEEF C.O. Gill and K.G. Newton. 305 DISCUSSION 322 TRANSLUCENCY AND COLOUR DEFECTS OF DARK-CUTTING MEAT AND THEIR DETECTION D.B. MacDougall and S.l. lones 328 DISCUSSION 340 EATING QUALITY OF DFD BEEF E. Dransfield 344 DISCUSSION. 359 PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF THE USE OF DARK FIRM DRY (DFD) MEAT J. Samay, B.L. Dumont and Jeanne Fournaud 362 DISCUSSION. 374 POSTER PRESENTATIONS INFLUENCE OF HOLDING ANIMALS BEFORE SLAUGHTERING Chr. Augustini . 379 POST MORTEM MUSCLE BIOCHEMISTRY AND BEEF QUALITY Chr. Fischer and R. Hamm . 387 INFLUENCE OF TEMPERATURE, FASTING AND TRANSPORTATION K. Fischer. 395 VII EFFECTS OF TRANSPORTATION AND PRE-SLAUGHTER HOLDING ON SOME BLOOD PARAMETERS AND ON MEAT QUALITY IN FATTENING BULLS E. Kallweit, 1. Unshelm, K. Wemken and D. Smidt. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 404 DEVELOPMENT OF SPECIAL FEEDS FOR YOUNG BULLS KEPT IN OVERNIGHT LAIRAGES K. Kousgaard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 410 SELECTIVE GLYCOGEN DEPLETION AND RECOVERY IN SKELETAL MUSCLES FIBRE TYPES OF YOUNG BULLS SUB1ECTED TO A BEHAVIOURAL STRESS A. Laeourt and P.V. Tarrant. ................................................... 417 THE BREAKDOWN OF MUSCLE GLYCOGEN DURING BEHAVIOURAL STRESS IN NORMAL AND BETA-ADRENORECEPTOR BLOCKED YOUNG BULLS 1.M. MeVeighandP.V. Tarrant. ................................................ 430 FACTORS INFLUENCING MUSCLE GLYCOGEN SYNTHESIS AFTER ADRENALINE INDUCED DEPLETION IN BEEF HEIFERS 1.M. Me Veigh and P. V. Tarrant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 440 SOME ODOURS PRODUCED BY BACTERIA ON HIGH pH AND NORMAL BEEF 1.T. Patterson and G. Bolton ................. '" ................................ 454 THE INCIDENCE OF DARK-CUTTING BEEF IN YOUNG BULLS IN FINLAND Eera Puolanne and Helja Aalto. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 462 THE USE OF FREEZE-DRYING IN INVESTIGATIONS ON THE MICROBIOLOGY OF VACUUM-PACKED DFD BEEF 1.1. Sheridan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 476 POSTER DISCUSSION ....................................................... 485 SUMMARY D.E. Hood. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 494 List of Participants .................................................................. " 501 IX PREFACE This publication contains the proceedings of a seminar 'The problems of dark-cutting in beef' held by the Commission of the European Communities (CEC) at the Commission in Brussels on 7 and 8 October 1980. As part of the CEC programme of coordination of agricultural research, this meeting was organised in the framework of the beef and animal welfare activities by Dr. D.E. Hood and Dr. P.V. Tarrant, Meat Research Department, An Faras Taluntais. Dunsinea, Castleknock, Dublin, Ireland. The proceedings, edited by the organisers assisted by Janssen Services, 33a, High Street, Chislehurst, Kent, UK, provide an authoritative text-book on this important aspect of meat technology. Reduction of pre-slaughter stress and improvement in carcass and meat quality is becoming increasingly important in the international meat trade. This results in particular from growing consumer concern about the welfare of meat animals during the pre-slaughter period and from specific meat packaging and marketing requirements. Technical development of the beef processing industry is dependent on a uniformly high level of meat quality in the raw material. The CEC wishes to thank all those who took responsibility in the organisation and running of this seminar, who prepared papers, posters and who participated in the seminar discussions. XI INTRODUCTION This seminar was originally planned by the Carcass and Meat Quality Expert Group under the aegis of the CEC Beef Research Programme. This Group has given stress-related problems in meat a high priority.for future research. The original idea was to hold a seminar on stress in meat animals .with particular reference to meat quality. The meeting was to be held in Dublin but due to budgetary restrictions a change in venue became necessary. The scope of the original proposal was later restricted to a consideration of the more specific problems of dark-cutting in beef as a widely recognised though perhaps ill-defined phenomenon which would stand more critical examination and appraisal. In parallel with a concern for meat quality aspects there has been increasing emphasis in recent years within the Community and elsewhere on animal welfare. The topic of the seminar falls readily also within the scope of this area since dark-cutting is a specific example of the effect of stress in beef animals, where an animal is slaughtered at a time when muscle glycogen is low. This results in the production of high pH meat which in turn produces an undesirable dark colour and poor keeping-quality. These objectives then form the basis for the seminar which we have organised during the next two days. They are: to examine scientifically the phenomenon of dark-cutting in beef in all its aspects including the aetiology of the condition, possible heritability characteristics, identification and prevention, microbiology, eating quality and technological potential. Superimposed on this are consideration of the live animal, animal behaviour, stress and welfare. An important element of the seminar is the interaction which should follow from the multi disciplinary content and the widely differing backgrounds of the participants. From this point of view discussion periods are most important and as much time as possible has been allotted for this purpose. Review papers will be presented at six main plenary sessions and other contributed papers at a poster session. D.E. Hood SESSION I QUALITY ASPECTS Chairman: J. Wismer-Pedersen