Cortisol hormone concentration and meat quality of beef cattle stunned by captive bolt stun gun before slaughtering

Abstract

This study was aimed to describe cortisol hormone concentration and meat quality which were was produced in beef cattle stunned with captive bolt stun gun before slaughtering. Blood and meat samples were taken from Brahman cross steers (n=11) in two abattoirs located in WJava and Banten. Blood samples collected immediately after slaughtering. Cortisol hormone concentration in the serum measured by using radioimmunoassay (RIA). The descriptive, correlation, and regression analyses used to interprete data. Meat assessment based on pH, cooking loss, and complete drainage of blood. The average of cortisol hormone concentration 26.59 ng/mL. Meat pH at 1 h postmortem and 24 h postmortem were 6.65 and 6.21,respectively. Meat cooking loss was, as Meat cooking loss wwas 26.77%. Blood drainage in meat samples of each cattle showed complete drainage. There was a significant correlation (P<0.05) between cortisol concentrations and pH at 1 hour postmortem as well as cortisol concentration and cooking loss. There was no significant correlation between pH at 24 h postmortem and cooking loss. Cattle was stunned with a captive bolt stun gun before slaughtering produced meat wwith complete blood drainage but had high cortisol hormone concentration and pH ultimate.