Study of Some Parameters Influencing the post mortem PH of Carcass's muscles of Dromedaries Slaughtered at the Touggourt Slaughterhouse. Algeria

Abstract

This work aims to study Biological and abiological factors influencing the postmortems hydrogen potential (pH) of four muscles, of twenty dromedary’s carcasses slaughtered at the slaughterhouse in Touggourt municipality, Algeria. The temperature and pH were measured at one hour and a half after slaughtering, skinning and evisceration of carcasses. Electronic thermometer and electronic pH meter were used with under-implementation of breeder’s know-how and knowledge of veterinarian. The 4 muscles are respectively: Cleido- mastoidien, Semi membranosus, Triceps Brachii and Psoas major. The dromedaries studied are from two populations : The Sahraoui and the Targui. The sample is composed of males and females between 1 and 7 years of age, coming from three types of livestock farming (Intensive, Semi-intensive and Extensive), and before slaughtering the animals were in different housing periods. The statistical analysis is carried out by the SPSS (statistical software) in two "2" steps: the pH overage varies according to the muscle’s type, with a highest values recorded in the Triceps Brachii (6.99 ≤ pH ≤ 7.14), then the Cleido-mastoidian with a pH of 6.98 to 6.84 and for the Semi membranosus and Psoas major which are the closest, with a pH respectively of 6.82 to 6.62 and 6.80 to 6.65. Regarding parameters linked to the animal, the age affects the pH with a strong negative correlation (r = -0.99; 'p' > 0.0001). The carcass weight has a negative relationship (r = -0.98; p> 0.0003). Then sex, while the race is not related to pH. For the parameters controlled by humans, the fasting time is at the origin of the increase in post-mortem pH values, corresponding to a positive correlation (r 0.74; p>0.0007). Also, the mode of livestock farming affects this parameter.