Influence of Preslaughter Treatment upon Certain Physical and Chemical Characteristics of Ovine Muscle

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Abstract
Lamb muscle tissue color and pH were influenced by preslaughter injections of high levels of epinephrine or exhaustive exercise. Expressible moisture, myoglobin concentration, and palatability factors were not affected by treatment. Feeding high levels of iron did not affect any of the factors studied. The data indicate that the maturity class in lambs may be influenced by factors other than chronological age, such as stress conditions prior to slaughter. Although the analysis does not indicate significant grade differences between treatments, a U.S.D.A. grader reduced the final grade for 15% of the carcasses because of dark color in muscle tissue. Copyright © 1964. American Society of Animal Science . Copyright 1964 by American Society of Animal Science