Ante-mortem detection of PSE and DFD by infrared thermography of pigs before stunning.
Using water-holding capacity and colour measurements (L and b values) as objective quality parameters, we have observed an increasing incidence of meat quality defects with the increasing skin surface temperature of pigs by infrared thermography prior to stunning. Below 32·2°C, 50% of the 32 pigs measured had normal meat while the other half showed meat quality defects. Above 32·2°C, however, 71% of the 49 pigs showed meat quality problems classified as moderate PSE (6%), PSE (30%), moderate DFD (22%) and DFD (37%). At this temperature level, meat quality of the remaining pigs was normal and decreased to 29%. Although infrared thermography of live animals cannot predict whether the meat will be PSE or DFD, it seems to be a practical and rapid method to detect pigs who will yield a significant proportion of meat quality defects. An early post-mortem identification of meat quality could supply the missing information.
Estimating the body temperature of groups of pigs by thermal imaging
Measurements on 28 pens of pigs containing 384 animals to be slaughtered at a commercial abattoir showed that the mean ear temperatures of the pigs in each pen, measured with a thermal imaging camera, were significantly correlated (r=0·71, P<0·001) with the mean temperature of the blood the pigs lost at exsanguination. In measurements on 220 pigs in 16 of the 28 pens, the mean activity of serum creatine kinase was positively correlated with the mean ear temperature (r=0·55, P<0·05) and the mean concentration of serum cortisol was positively correlated with the mean blood temperature (r=0·50, P<0·05), suggesting that the hotter pigs were suffering from a higher level of stress.
Effect of cutting management and nitrogen levels on biomass production and proximate quality of barley (Hordeum vulgare) in saline soil
A field experiment was conducted during the winter (rabi) seasons of 1997–1998 to 1999–2000 on an alluvial loamy sand saline soil at Hisar, to find out the effect of cutting management and nitrogen levels on biomass production and proximate quality of barley (Hordeum vulgare L). Dry forage yield of barley was 6.3% higher when harvested once at 50% heading compared with 2 cuttings at 60 days of growth and 50% heading. The total biomass was 3.8% higher when harvested for grain purpose compared to the treatment in which the crop was first harvested for forage at 60 days and subsequently left for grain purpose. However, no significant differences were observed in the yield equivalents of barley grown for grain purpose or green forage and grain. Application of N significantly increased the yield from 22.5 q/ha with 60 kg N/ha to 29.3 q/ha with 80 kg N/ha. The protein and mineral matter contents were higher in grains (9.2 and 4.7%) and fodder (5.3 and 10.3%) harvested at the early stages than 9.0 and 4.6% in grain; and 4.9 and 9.8% in fodder at the late stage. However, the fibre and lignin contents were more in fodder harvested at later stages. With increasing levels of N application, the mineral matter remained unaffected, while the crude protein and lignin contents increased and fibre decreased in both fodder as well as grain.