Evaluation of the recovery body condition and post slaughter processes on yield and carcass characteristics of Santa Inês ewes

Abstract

It was studied the recovery of body condition (BC) and carcass electrical stimulation (ES) on the yield, carcass and meat characteristics of Santa Inês ewes, discarded by age and slaughtered immediately after weaning or after a 45 days of recovery period. The recovery of BC increased the slaughter weight (+3.60%) and carcass weight (+16.10%) decreased the loss during the refrigeration (-47.00%) and increased the yield carcass (+12.00%), increased the subcutaneous fat thickness (+ 47.80%) and fat pelvic and renal deposition (+ 69.20) increased the height (+8.30%) and the total weight of loin (24.60%) and do not changed the decline of temperature and carcass pH. Electrical stimulation of the carcass do not changed the temperature variation but accelerated the decreased in pH values of 6.50 and 6.59; 5.98 and 5.91; 5.88 and 5.84 and 5.78 and 5.76, respectively for times of 15 min., 6; 12 and 24 hours after bleeding for thin and fat animals respectively. The body condition recovery and the electrical stimulation of the Santa Inês ewes carcass, discarded by age, increased the yield and carcass characteristics and accelerated the meat pH decline, providing adequate conditions for the muscle conversion into meat.

Keywords

• condição corporal
• estimulação elétrica
• ovinos
• temperatura e pH