Case studies demonstrating the benefits on pH and temperature decline of optimising medium-voltage electrical stimulation of lamb carcasses

K.L. Pearce; R. van de Ven; C. Mudford; R.D. Warner; J.E. Hocking-Edwards; R.H. Jacob; D.W. Pethick; D.L. Hopkins

doi:10.1071/AN10114

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Case studies demonstrating the benefits on pH and temperature decline of optimising medium-voltage electrical stimulation of lamb carcasses

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Case studies demonstrating the benefits on pH and temperature decline of optimising medium-voltage electrical stimulation of lamb carcasses

K.L. Pearce, R. van de Ven, C. Mudford, R.D. Warner, J.E. Hocking-Edwards, R.H. Jacob, D.W. Pethick and D.L. Hopkins

Animal Production Science, Vol.50(12), pp.1107-1114

2010

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1071/AN10114

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Abstract

The efficacies of electrical stimulation practices at Australian abattoirs that process significant proportions of Australian lamb and sheep meat were assessed. Several abattoirs used medium-voltage electrical stimulation system (MVS) units suboptimally and many carcasses at these abattoirs exhibited a poor rate of pH decline and, consequently, a low proportion of carcasses attained pH 6 at a carcass temperature of 18-35 degrees C, according to Sheep Meat Eating Quality pH-temperature guidelines as adopted by Meat Standards Australia. In the present communication, we describe the causes of suboptimal results with electrical stimulation and discuss procedures for optimising the stimulation dose delivered by MVS units. Carcass pH responses to various levels of current and pulse width were assessed to determine the best MVS settings for individual abattoirs. The MVS units at the abattoirs involved in the present study have now been programmed for optimal efficacy and carcass quality will be monitored on an ongoing basis. Evaluation of methods for assessing the proportion of carcasses that fall within the optimum pH-temperature window showed that a random regression model is more accurate than the current approach.

Details

Title: Case studies demonstrating the benefits on pH and temperature decline of optimising medium-voltage electrical stimulation of lamb carcasses
Authors/Creators: K.L. Pearce (Author/Creator) - Murdoch University
R. van de Ven (Author/Creator) - New South Wales Department of Primary Industries
C. Mudford (Author/Creator) - Realcold Milmech, PO Box 4435, Eight Mile Plains, Qld 4113, Australia.
R.D. Warner (Author/Creator) - Department of Primary Industries, 600 Sneydes Road, Werribee, Vic. 3030, Australia.
J.E. Hocking-Edwards (Author/Creator) - Thales (Australia)
R.H. Jacob (Author/Creator) - Government of Western Australia
D.W. Pethick (Author/Creator) - Murdoch University
D.L. Hopkins (Author/Creator) - Industry and Investment NSW (Primary Industries) Centre for Red Meat and Sheep Development, PO Box 129, Cowra, NSW 2794, Australia.
Publication Details: Animal Production Science, Vol.50(12), pp.1107-1114
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Identifiers: 991005541038007891
Copyright: (c) CSIRO
Murdoch Affiliation: School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration
Citation topics: 3 Agriculture, Environment & Ecology; 3.51 Dairy & Animal Sciences; 3.51.206 Meat Quality
Web Of Science research areas: Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
ESI research areas: Agricultural Sciences