Reactivity to handling, stress, adaptability, performance and meat quality of sheep

• Grant number: 10/10165-9
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: January 01, 2011
• End date: December 31, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Ecology of Domestic Animals and Ethology
• Principal Investigator: Evaldo Antonio Lencioni Titto
• Grantee: Evaldo Antonio Lencioni Titto
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos (FZEA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Pirassununga , SP, Brazil

Abstract

This experiment has as main objective to assess the capacity Termolite in sheep breeds cutting and investigate the influence of dietary supplementation of chromium, the density of transport to the slaughterhouse and the rest period pre-slaughter on the indicators of welfare, growth and meat quality of sheep. The work will consist of two stages, the first phase will be held at the Faculty of Animal Science and Food Engineering, located in city Pirassununga, SP, and will use 40 animals of the Santa Ines and at the Cardinal Farm property, located in the city of Mococa, using 40 animals of the Dorper sheep. Will be recorded rectal temperatures for the evaluation of heat tolerance, indicating capacity termolite. The rectal temperature is recorded for 13h, after two hours of rest in the shade, and at 14.30, after an hour of exposure to direct sunlight and half hours of rest in the shade. Along with the records of rectal temperatures are also measured surface temperatures and rates of sweating and respiratory rates. All analysis will be carried out with the aid of the Statistical Analysis System ©, version 9.1.3 (SAS, 1995), using univariate procedures, CORR, GLM and MIXED. The second step is conducted at the Faculty of Animal Science and Food Engineering, will be used 120 male Santa Inês, divided into two groups in confinement: control group and the group supplemented with 2 mg per animal per day of organic chromium. During the weighing will be assessed weight gain, the temperament of animals by flight speed and responsiveness of management in the balance, as well as record of climatic variables. Transport to the slaughterhouse will be held with two different densities, 0.2 m2 per animal and 0.4 m2 per animal. Be applied two rest periods of one and 3 hours after landing, before slaughter. During pre-slaughter is recorded the behavior of animals and blood samples will be collected for analysis of indicators of stress. In the slaughterhouse carcasses shall be classified for the presence of injuries, measures the temperature and pH of carcasses at 1 and 24 hours after slaughter, besides being sampled Longissimus dorsi muscle for analysis of meat quality. The experimental design of this step is completely randomized in a 2x2x2 and an analysis of data will be used the GLM procedure of SAS statistical program. Expected to find significant differences between the different races to the capacity termolite and the different management systems to aspects of animal welfare, weight gain, meat quality and carcass. (AU)