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Culling-associated stress and meat quality in ungulates

Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2020.

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Main Author: Calitz, Kerry Jean
Other Authors: Hoffman, Louwrens C.
Format: Thesis
Language:en_ZA
en_ZA
Published: Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University 2020
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access_status_str Open Access
author Calitz, Kerry Jean
author2 Hoffman, Louwrens C.
author_browse Calitz, Kerry Jean
Hoffman, Louwrens C.
author_facet Hoffman, Louwrens C.
Calitz, Kerry Jean
author_sort Calitz, Kerry Jean
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv Stellenbosch University
description Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2020.
format Thesis
id oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/109078
institution Stellenbosch University (South Africa)
language en_ZA
en_ZA
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:44:55.028Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
publishDate 2020
publishDateRange 2020
publishDateSort 2020
publisher Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
publisherStr Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
record_format dspace
source_str SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
spelling oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/109078 Culling-associated stress and meat quality in ungulates Calitz, Kerry Jean Hoffman, Louwrens C. Lambrechts, Helet Strydom, P. E. Stellenbosch University. Faculty of AgriSciences. Dept. of Animal Sciences. Meat -- Quality -- Effect of stress on Ungulates -- Effect of hunting on Wildlife conservation Culling (Animals) UCTD Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2020. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the effects of helicopter-, day- and night-culling on the ante-mortem stress experienced by sub-adult impala (Aepyceros melampus) rams and mature blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) cows, by determining the effect of hunting method on the serum testosterone, cortisone and cortisol levels at death, and influence on meat quality parameters. Blood samples were collected immediately post-mortem and analysed for the above-mentioned steroid hormones, and the serum levels assayed were compared to the expected diurnal secretion pattern of each hormone. During and up and to 24 hours post-mortem, the pH of the Longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) was recorded at regular intervals to establish a post-mortem pH profile, which was then related to the respective meat quality parameters. The left LTL muscle was removed from the carcass for physical and proximate analysis. The physical parameters included pH, water-holding capacity, tenderness and colour, were subsequently correlated with the serum hormone levels. The serum testosterone levels in the impala were not influenced by culling method, however, serum cortisone concentrations were higher in the night-culled impala, when compared to the helicopter- and day-culled animals. The serum cortisone and cortisol levels of night-culled impala were higher when compared to previously established baseline levels for impala. The serum glucocorticoid concentrations determined for the night-culled impala were similar to that of the helicopter- and day-culled animals, thus supporting the deviation from the established diurnal pattern in previous studies. Meat samples obtained from the night-culled impala had an increased water-holding capacity as well as were more tender than the meat samples from the impala of the other culling methods. Culling method did not influence the colour of the meat samples. The serum concentrations of glucocorticoid hormones determined for the blue wildebeest appeared to conform to previously established diurnal patterns. Blood samples from the helicopter-culled animals were characterized by higher serum concentrations of glucocorticoid hormones than that of the day- and night-culled animals. However, the physical analysis of the meat samples indicated that helicopter-culling resulted in a high pHU, although not statistically different from the other treatment groups, a decreased water-holding capacity and lower shear force values. The day- and night-culled blue wildebeest produced meat samples similar in quality, indicating that these culling methods had no influence on ante-mortem stress of blue wildebeest. It was observed that all the treatments resulted in high ultimate pH values, characteristic of dry, firm and dark (DFD) meat that is typically caused by chronic ante-mortem stress. The meat obtained from the helicopter-culled blue wildebeest exhibited DFD qualities which could be attributed to chronic stress. Therefore, correlations between pH parameters and meat quality parameters were analysed. From the correlations, it was determined that with an increasing muscle pHU, there was lower L* values whilst an increasing rate of pH decline resulted in a decreased water-holding capacity. This is the first study of its kind on impala and blue wildebeest and therefore further research is required to verify these results as all indications are that culling by helicopter, although expensive, has added advantages. Masters 2020-06-17T12:26:29Z 2021-01-31T19:34:27Z 2020-06-17T12:26:29Z 2021-01-31T19:34:27Z 2020-12 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/109078 en_ZA en_ZA Stellenbosch University viii, 114 pages application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
spellingShingle Meat -- Quality -- Effect of stress on
Ungulates -- Effect of hunting on
Wildlife conservation
Culling (Animals)
UCTD
Calitz, Kerry Jean
Culling-associated stress and meat quality in ungulates
title Culling-associated stress and meat quality in ungulates
title_full Culling-associated stress and meat quality in ungulates
title_fullStr Culling-associated stress and meat quality in ungulates
title_full_unstemmed Culling-associated stress and meat quality in ungulates
title_short Culling-associated stress and meat quality in ungulates
title_sort culling associated stress and meat quality in ungulates
topic Meat -- Quality -- Effect of stress on
Ungulates -- Effect of hunting on
Wildlife conservation
Culling (Animals)
UCTD
url http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/109078
work_keys_str_mv AT calitzkerryjean cullingassociatedstressandmeatqualityinungulates