Effect of feed deprivation and lairage time on carcass and meat quality traits on pigs under minimal stressful conditions

Fasting pigs at the farm prior to transport and keeping pigs in lairage before slaughter can affect carcass, gastrointestinal tract content and meat quality. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of the on-farm fasting periods and lairage on the killing-out, carcass and meat quality. Seventy-two pigs were submitted to a 2×2 experimental design, with two on-farm fasting periods (0 or 12h) and two lairage times (0 or 12h) while handling was performed under minimal stressful ante mortem conditions. Feed intake was monitored individually, and carcass and meat quality traits were studied. On-farm fasting time increased life body weight losses during the on-farm fast period (P<0.001) and cold killing-out (P=0.01). On-farm fasting time also tended to increase skin lesions (P=0.082) and pH measured at 45min in the Semimembranosus muscle (P=0.0753). Lairage also increased body weight losses (P<0.001) and killing-out (P=0.003), and did not affect any of the meat quality traits. The following meat quality classes were also defined: (i) pale, soft and exudative, (ii) red, soft and exudative, (iii) pale, firm and exudative, (iv) red, firm and non-exudative, and (v) dark firm and dry. Their incidence was studied: no incidence of dark, firm and dry pork was observed, and loins from pigs fasted up to 12h were mainly classified as red, soft and exudative. In the present study, long feed deprivation (24–26h) did not negatively affect carcass traits and reduced the incidence of exudative meat without increasing the occurrence of dark firm and dry pork.