Práticas de manejo na fase ante mortem de bovinos para identificação de pontos críticos à qualidade da carne.

Abstract

The growing concern of consumers and animal welfare requirement mobilize entire production system. The aim of this study was to evaluate the handling practices used during the ante mortem cattle under the conditions prevailing transport, the farm´s and slaughter houses in order to list the critical points to meat quality measured by the final pH and quantification and location of severe contusions on the carcasses. The study involved 11 lots of cattle, nine farms.The evaluations were performed during the ante mortem, totaling 28 variables: reactivity, presence or absence of horns, sex, occurrence of falls / slips in boarding, ability to handle animals properly function in the premises of the pens, use of management tools, presence of dogs and horses in the corrals, use of electrical stimulation, conditions of trucks and adequacy of stocking trucks, distances and travel time, road conditions, speed of landing in the slaughter house, the occurrence of falls / slips on landing and difference in landing. In the slaughter house the quantification of severe contusions per lot and after 24 hours was measured in pH carcasses. Data were subjected to univariate and multivariate descriptive analyzes: key factors and grouping. Falls and slips occurring during boarding and unloading of animals, the corrals management, the use of management tools, and the use of dogs in pens for handling animals can be characterized as critical control points for quality meat. The distance had no influence on meat quality. Furthermore, the research showed that the reactivity of cattle can be an aggravating losses meat quality, especially during loading and unloading.