Relationship between skin lesion severity and physiometabolic blood profile, microbial counts and carcass and meat quality characteristics in slaughtered pigs

Abstract

This study evaluated the relationship between skin lesion severity and physiometabolic blood profile, microbial counts and carcass and meat quality characteristics in a total of 384 slaughter pigs from a single commercial farm. Skin lesion severity was visually assessed using a three-point scale. According to skin lesion severity, individual pigs were categorised into three groups: low skin lesion scores, moderate skin lesion scores and high skin lesion scores.

Low skin lesion scores in pigs, compared with other lesion score groups, were associated with the lowest whole blood lactate and glucose levels, as well as the lowest plasma creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), aspartate amino transferase (AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT), ceruloplasmin and malondialdehyde levels, but also with the highest plasma albumin, paraoxonase-1 and glutathione concentrations and frequency of red, firm and non-exudative pork (P < 0.05). High skin lesion scores in pigs, compared with the other lesion score groups, were associated with the highest plasma cortisol, CK, LDH, AST and ceruloplasmin concentrations and the lowest plasma albumin levels (P < 0.05). Meat from pigs with high skin lesion scores, compared with the other lesion score groups, presented the highest initial and ultimate pH, total viable counts, a* value, subjective colour scores and the greatest percentage of dark, firm and dry pork, while showing the lowest drip loss and L* and b* values (P < 0.05). Moderate skin lesion scores in pigs, compared with the other lesion score groups, were associated with the highest blood lactate and glucose levels (P < 0.05). Meat from pigs with moderate skin lesion scores, compared with the other lesion score groups, showed the lowest initial and ultimate pH, a* value and subjective colour scores, but had the highest initial temperature, drip loss, thawing loss, L* and b* values and the greatest percentage of pale, soft and exudative pork (P < 0.05).

In conclusion, both high and moderate skin lesion scores in pigs were associated with intense pre-slaughter stress and unfavourable pork quality characteristics.