Auswirkungen eines positiven Handlings auf die Ausweichdistanz und die Fleischqualität von Mastrindern aus der Mutterkuhhaltung

Summary

This research investigated the effect of a handling treatment in beef cattle on stress related parameters. Ten 15 months old Limousin beef cattle (crossbreds) were divided in a handling group (HG) and a control group (KG) by pairing animals with similar avoidance distances. The back-region handlings were carried out 10 times for 8 min during 5 weeks before slaughter. Before and after all handling sessions, each animal was tested by an avoidance distance test (AWD). From each carcass, samples of M. longissimus dorsi were analysed for meat quality (cooking loss, shear force and meat colour). Differences between first and second avoidance distance test were greater in HG animals. Avoidance distance got much lower in HG animals than in KG animals. Shear force tended to be lower in meat from HG animals than in CG animals’ meat samples.