Effects of loading time and lairage duration on pig behaviour, sex and lairage time on pork physio-chemical characteristics
- Authors: Ntlatywa, Bongiswa
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Pork -- Quality Meat -- Quality Loading and unloading
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/12270 , vital:39225
- Description: The objectives of the study were to determine the effect of loading time, transportation unloading and lairage period, their subsequent effect on responses behaviour and the effect of sex and lairage period on the meat quality of cross breeds reared in commercial farm. The first part of the study assessed the behaviour of pigs during loading at the farm, offloading and in the lairages. A total of 900 pigs from 5 trips (180 per trip) were monitored on behaviour from farm to slaughter plant. The pigs were transported to a commercial abattoir which is 120 km distance, travelling for 2 hours from the farm. The results revealed that time spent in loading pigs was more than when offloading pigs. The frequency of slipping or falling-off in pigs was high (18percent) than voluntary movement (8percent) during loading times (χ2 >0.05) that when off-loading. A significant difference was determined on the avoidance (χ2=0.03), mounting behaviour (χ2 =0.01) and vocal sound (χ2 =0.02) during loading time on each observation day. Furthermore there was no significant difference determined on the time and day of observation in the lairages. These results also reveal that the avoidance behaviour was the highest (47percent) while fighting (34percent) and vocalizing were the least compared to other behaviour during the first 30 minutes after arrival at the abattoir. Moreover, the lying behaviour was found to have highest frequency (15percent) on day 6 compared to other sampling days. These results reveal that time of loading pigs had an influence on pigs’ behaviour before slaughter and consequently that affected physiological features and meat quality. The second section of the study assessed sex and the different lairage time effects on the pork quality attributes. A total of fifty four pigs, 22 weeks old of different sex (26 boars x 28 gilts) reared on a commercial farm and transported to the abattoir on the same day was used in this study. At the abattoir, pigs were grouped according to lairage periods of 17 hours (Group1; 13 gilts and 14 boars) and 36 hours (Group 2; 15 gilts and 12 boars). Results showed no significant difference on the sex of pigs (P >0.05) and meat pH. However, lairage time influenced the thawing loss (P= 0.02) of meat and also the interactions of sex by lairage had a significant difference (P= 0.04) on meat tenderness. There was a positive significant correlation found between sex and meat attributes values were high in boars (r= 0.61) than in gilts (r = 0.49). A negative correlation between a*and WBSF on lairage group1 (r= -0.52) was determined while on group 2 there was a positive correlation between a* and b* (r=0.49). This study suggest that a proper timing on farm feed withdrawal in combination with a sufficient lairage at the slaughter plant may result in better carcass and meat quality traits. Communication among producers and abattoirs is critical when planning the fasting and lairage times in order to elude carcass and technological pork quality complications. To conclude, there is influence caused by time of loading in stressing pigs before transportation and slaughter as aggressive behaviour showed and also lairage time affected meat quality.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Ntlatywa, Bongiswa
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Pork -- Quality Meat -- Quality Loading and unloading
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/12270 , vital:39225
- Description: The objectives of the study were to determine the effect of loading time, transportation unloading and lairage period, their subsequent effect on responses behaviour and the effect of sex and lairage period on the meat quality of cross breeds reared in commercial farm. The first part of the study assessed the behaviour of pigs during loading at the farm, offloading and in the lairages. A total of 900 pigs from 5 trips (180 per trip) were monitored on behaviour from farm to slaughter plant. The pigs were transported to a commercial abattoir which is 120 km distance, travelling for 2 hours from the farm. The results revealed that time spent in loading pigs was more than when offloading pigs. The frequency of slipping or falling-off in pigs was high (18percent) than voluntary movement (8percent) during loading times (χ2 >0.05) that when off-loading. A significant difference was determined on the avoidance (χ2=0.03), mounting behaviour (χ2 =0.01) and vocal sound (χ2 =0.02) during loading time on each observation day. Furthermore there was no significant difference determined on the time and day of observation in the lairages. These results also reveal that the avoidance behaviour was the highest (47percent) while fighting (34percent) and vocalizing were the least compared to other behaviour during the first 30 minutes after arrival at the abattoir. Moreover, the lying behaviour was found to have highest frequency (15percent) on day 6 compared to other sampling days. These results reveal that time of loading pigs had an influence on pigs’ behaviour before slaughter and consequently that affected physiological features and meat quality. The second section of the study assessed sex and the different lairage time effects on the pork quality attributes. A total of fifty four pigs, 22 weeks old of different sex (26 boars x 28 gilts) reared on a commercial farm and transported to the abattoir on the same day was used in this study. At the abattoir, pigs were grouped according to lairage periods of 17 hours (Group1; 13 gilts and 14 boars) and 36 hours (Group 2; 15 gilts and 12 boars). Results showed no significant difference on the sex of pigs (P >0.05) and meat pH. However, lairage time influenced the thawing loss (P= 0.02) of meat and also the interactions of sex by lairage had a significant difference (P= 0.04) on meat tenderness. There was a positive significant correlation found between sex and meat attributes values were high in boars (r= 0.61) than in gilts (r = 0.49). A negative correlation between a*and WBSF on lairage group1 (r= -0.52) was determined while on group 2 there was a positive correlation between a* and b* (r=0.49). This study suggest that a proper timing on farm feed withdrawal in combination with a sufficient lairage at the slaughter plant may result in better carcass and meat quality traits. Communication among producers and abattoirs is critical when planning the fasting and lairage times in order to elude carcass and technological pork quality complications. To conclude, there is influence caused by time of loading in stressing pigs before transportation and slaughter as aggressive behaviour showed and also lairage time affected meat quality.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Management factors influencing lamb survival from birth to weaning in two ecologically different resource-limited communal farming systems
- Authors: Lungu, Nobuhle
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Lambs Communal rangelands Lambs--Feeding and feeds
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , Animal Science
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/11806 , vital:39108
- Description: The objective of the study was to determine the management factors influencing lamb survival from birth to weaning in two ecologically different resource-limited communal farming systems. An annual flock monitoring study in the sourveld and sweetveld regions was preceded by a household check-all-that-apply (CATA). Lamb management practices and constraints faced in raising lambs in the two regions were determined using the check-all-that-apply technique. The results showed that the majority of the households were male headed (75.70percent) and consisted of the elderly (˃50 years, 79.44percent) who were not employed (82.24percent) and had attended primary school (67.29percent). Wool production was ranked the most important reason for keeping sheep in the two regions. The CATA revealed that the management systems between the two regions differed significantly (p˂0.05) in terms of assisting sheep at lambing, attending to twin births and dipping of mature lambs. Farmers‘ age was associated with the type of management performed (p ˂0.05). None of the farmers in the two regions performed navel dipping. Some of the reported constraints in the sweetveld were theft, diarrhoea and drought while predators and cold weather were the major constraints in the sourveld. The CATA identified vaccination and dipping as the major missing practices in both regions. The study showed differences in the use and choice of CATA terms which suggests that a ―one-size-fits-all‖ approach to solving poor management and sheep production constraints is not applicable. In the monitoring study, the results showed that veld type had no significant effect on the birth weights (2.0±0.09 kg) of the lambs. Type of birth had a significant effect (p<0.05) on the birth weights of the lambs. Single born lambs were 0.41kg heavier (p<0.05) than twin lambs. Single born lambs, however, showed an improvement in weights at 90 and 120 days where they had slightly higher weights than single born lambs. Male lambs were significantly (p<0.05) heavier (2.3±0.12 kg) than the female lambs (1.7±0.06 kg) at birth. The lamb birth were highest (P<0.05) in the hot-dry season. Lambs born in the cold-dry season were the lightest (1.63±0.13 kg). Lambs born in the post- rainy and hot-wet season were not significantly different (P<0.05). Weaning weights were not affected by veld type, birth type and sex, but were affected by season of birth. The lambs born in the hot-dry season had the highest weaning weights. The sourveld had a total pre-weaning mortality of 10.6percent while the sweetveld had a total pre-weaning mortality of 14.2percent. Animal housing from both veld types was poorly designed in terms of security against stock theft, drainage, hygiene, overhead shelter from the rain as well as access to feed and water. It was concluded that lamb management practices in the two regions were not the same. Performance of lambs before weaning differed according to veld type which played a role in feed availability during different seasons.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Lungu, Nobuhle
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Lambs Communal rangelands Lambs--Feeding and feeds
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , Animal Science
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/11806 , vital:39108
- Description: The objective of the study was to determine the management factors influencing lamb survival from birth to weaning in two ecologically different resource-limited communal farming systems. An annual flock monitoring study in the sourveld and sweetveld regions was preceded by a household check-all-that-apply (CATA). Lamb management practices and constraints faced in raising lambs in the two regions were determined using the check-all-that-apply technique. The results showed that the majority of the households were male headed (75.70percent) and consisted of the elderly (˃50 years, 79.44percent) who were not employed (82.24percent) and had attended primary school (67.29percent). Wool production was ranked the most important reason for keeping sheep in the two regions. The CATA revealed that the management systems between the two regions differed significantly (p˂0.05) in terms of assisting sheep at lambing, attending to twin births and dipping of mature lambs. Farmers‘ age was associated with the type of management performed (p ˂0.05). None of the farmers in the two regions performed navel dipping. Some of the reported constraints in the sweetveld were theft, diarrhoea and drought while predators and cold weather were the major constraints in the sourveld. The CATA identified vaccination and dipping as the major missing practices in both regions. The study showed differences in the use and choice of CATA terms which suggests that a ―one-size-fits-all‖ approach to solving poor management and sheep production constraints is not applicable. In the monitoring study, the results showed that veld type had no significant effect on the birth weights (2.0±0.09 kg) of the lambs. Type of birth had a significant effect (p<0.05) on the birth weights of the lambs. Single born lambs were 0.41kg heavier (p<0.05) than twin lambs. Single born lambs, however, showed an improvement in weights at 90 and 120 days where they had slightly higher weights than single born lambs. Male lambs were significantly (p<0.05) heavier (2.3±0.12 kg) than the female lambs (1.7±0.06 kg) at birth. The lamb birth were highest (P<0.05) in the hot-dry season. Lambs born in the cold-dry season were the lightest (1.63±0.13 kg). Lambs born in the post- rainy and hot-wet season were not significantly different (P<0.05). Weaning weights were not affected by veld type, birth type and sex, but were affected by season of birth. The lambs born in the hot-dry season had the highest weaning weights. The sourveld had a total pre-weaning mortality of 10.6percent while the sweetveld had a total pre-weaning mortality of 14.2percent. Animal housing from both veld types was poorly designed in terms of security against stock theft, drainage, hygiene, overhead shelter from the rain as well as access to feed and water. It was concluded that lamb management practices in the two regions were not the same. Performance of lambs before weaning differed according to veld type which played a role in feed availability during different seasons.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
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