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:
- 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:
Evaluation of the physicochemical qualities and heavy metal regimes of the final effluents of some wastewater treatment facilties in Berlin, Alice and Bedford communities in the Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Authors: Agoro, Mojeed Adedoyin
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Water -- Purification -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Sewage -- Purification -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/5003 , vital:28924
- Description: Wastewater treatment facilities have been identified as potential source of surface water pollution worldwide. In this study, the physicochemical qualities and heavy metal (including Zinc, Cadmium, Iron, Lead and Copper) concentrations in the final effluents, as well as the reduction efficiencies of three municipal wastewater plants in the Eastern Cape, South Africa were evaluated from September 2015 to February 2016 using standard methods. Wastewater effluent and sludge samples were collected from the selected plants on monthly basis over a period of six months from September 2015 to February 2016. Standard analytical method (Atomic absorption spectroscopy [AAS]) was used to assess the concentration levels of heavy metals. The physicochemical parameters assessed include pH, Temperature, Total Dissolved Solid, Turbidity, Biochemical Oxygen Demand, Chemical Oxygen Demand, Alkalinity, Dissolved Oxygen, Free chlorine, Chloride, Sulphate, Phosphate, Ammonium and Electrical Conductivity. The results of the evaluation showed that temperature ranges from 19 to 36 °C, Electrical Conductivity from 60-1095 mS/m, Alkalinity from 2.6-20.9 mg/L, Nitrate from 0.24-26.5 mg/L, Nitrite from 0.01-90 mg/L, Phosphate from 0.02-5.12 mg/L, Ammonium from 0.06-112 mg/L, Sulphate from 3-72 mg/L, Chloride from 3.25-224 mg/L, Chemical Oxygen Demand from 17-394 mg/L and Turbidity from 1.96-715 NTU. Free chlorine concentrations and dissolved oxygen were within the recommended limits for most part of the sampling period and ranged between 0.17-0.48 mg/L and 0.19-21.9 mg/L respectively. The pH, Phosphate, Sulphate and Free chlorine were within acceptable limits while Electrical Conductivity, Temperature, Total Dissolved Solid, Turbidity, Chemical Oxygen Demand, Chloride, Ammonium, Nitrate and Nitrite were not within specified limits. The reduction efficiencies observed generally ranged between 43.9 and 100 percent at all sampling points while zinc and lead were not detected throughout the sampling period. Cadmium showed low reduction rate ranging from 0 to 11.7 percent, while the rate of Copper reduction ranged from 0 to25 percent in January and February 2016. Zinc, lead and cadmium were generally not detected in the sludge samples except in January and February which could be due to the prevailing atmospheric conditions during the sampling period. Cu and Fe were detected through the sampling months of the study. We conclude that these municipal sewage plants are sources of pollution to their receiving watersheds and threats to public and environmental health.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Agoro, Mojeed Adedoyin
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Water -- Purification -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Sewage -- Purification -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/5003 , vital:28924
- Description: Wastewater treatment facilities have been identified as potential source of surface water pollution worldwide. In this study, the physicochemical qualities and heavy metal (including Zinc, Cadmium, Iron, Lead and Copper) concentrations in the final effluents, as well as the reduction efficiencies of three municipal wastewater plants in the Eastern Cape, South Africa were evaluated from September 2015 to February 2016 using standard methods. Wastewater effluent and sludge samples were collected from the selected plants on monthly basis over a period of six months from September 2015 to February 2016. Standard analytical method (Atomic absorption spectroscopy [AAS]) was used to assess the concentration levels of heavy metals. The physicochemical parameters assessed include pH, Temperature, Total Dissolved Solid, Turbidity, Biochemical Oxygen Demand, Chemical Oxygen Demand, Alkalinity, Dissolved Oxygen, Free chlorine, Chloride, Sulphate, Phosphate, Ammonium and Electrical Conductivity. The results of the evaluation showed that temperature ranges from 19 to 36 °C, Electrical Conductivity from 60-1095 mS/m, Alkalinity from 2.6-20.9 mg/L, Nitrate from 0.24-26.5 mg/L, Nitrite from 0.01-90 mg/L, Phosphate from 0.02-5.12 mg/L, Ammonium from 0.06-112 mg/L, Sulphate from 3-72 mg/L, Chloride from 3.25-224 mg/L, Chemical Oxygen Demand from 17-394 mg/L and Turbidity from 1.96-715 NTU. Free chlorine concentrations and dissolved oxygen were within the recommended limits for most part of the sampling period and ranged between 0.17-0.48 mg/L and 0.19-21.9 mg/L respectively. The pH, Phosphate, Sulphate and Free chlorine were within acceptable limits while Electrical Conductivity, Temperature, Total Dissolved Solid, Turbidity, Chemical Oxygen Demand, Chloride, Ammonium, Nitrate and Nitrite were not within specified limits. The reduction efficiencies observed generally ranged between 43.9 and 100 percent at all sampling points while zinc and lead were not detected throughout the sampling period. Cadmium showed low reduction rate ranging from 0 to 11.7 percent, while the rate of Copper reduction ranged from 0 to25 percent in January and February 2016. Zinc, lead and cadmium were generally not detected in the sludge samples except in January and February which could be due to the prevailing atmospheric conditions during the sampling period. Cu and Fe were detected through the sampling months of the study. We conclude that these municipal sewage plants are sources of pollution to their receiving watersheds and threats to public and environmental health.
- Full Text:
- «
- ‹
- 1
- ›
- »