Time to ditch the electric cattle prodder
Time to ditch the electric cattle prodder - Beef CRC - Beef Genetic Technologies
| 8 October 2008 |
 Cattle subjected to electrical prodding stimulation just prior to slaughter can produce meat with inferior quality.The findings come from an experiment conducted by the Beef CRC which looked at the effect on beef eating quality. Dr Robyn Warner, Department of Primary Industries, Victoria said cattle which suffered acute stress just prior to slaughter produced meat that consumers rated as tougher. “We divided 84 feedlot cattle destined for the domestic market into separate groups and subjected them to two pre-slaughter treatments,” Dr Warner said. “Some cattle received no electrical stimulation at all while the other group received several electric shocks to elicit an acute stress response,” she said. She said meat and blood samples were collected from the cattle before slaughter and from the chilled carcasses and a range of measurements analysed. Subjecting cattle to electric prodders just before slaughter resulted in a significant reduction in consumer acceptability according to Dr Warner. “Our consumer taste panels picked up a reduction in the tenderness, juiciness, flavour and overall liking of the meat which came from the cattle which were electrically prodded,” she said. “Meat doesn’t hold its water content as easily when treated this way due to the fast pH fall and high muscle temperatures. These conditions can ultimately cause the muscle fibres to contract.” “If the fibre shrinks they can’t hold water which translates into a less juicy steak.” Dr Warner said the results could be beneficial for the processing sector. “We set out to evoke an acute stress response in the cattle, but the treatment we applied could occur in large beef abattoirs with poorly designed lairage facilities,” she said. “Our study shows using very little coercion and no electric prodders can improve consumer satisfaction of beef.” |
| For further information, contact Alison Buchanan, Communications Manager, (02) 6773 3795 or 0439 405 077 |
