Efecto del sistema de aturdimiento sobre la calidad de las canales porcinas faenadas en la EMRAQ-EP.

Abstract

The objective of this research was to determine the effect of the stunning system on the quality of pork carcasses slaughtered at ´´EMRAQ-EP´´. In the development of the research, random samples were obtained from 361 pigs from different places in Ecuador. Age, petechiae, ecchymosis, fractured vertebrae, pH, weight and temperature of the pork carcass were recorded. In the statistical analysis, mean, median and standard deviation of pH, weight and temperature of the carcasses were obtained. The variables pH and temperature were related to pig weight through logistic regressions using a logit link function with a binomial error distribution. The incidence of petechiae, ecchymosis and fractures per vertebral area was calculated, and a Chi-square goodness-of-fit test was calculated to test the null hypothesis that the probability of fractures is equal in all vertebral areas. The results obtained showed that petechiae occurred with a higher incidence in the carcasses (36.29%), and the sacral region was the vertebral area with the highest incidence of fractures (39.06%). The pH had an average of 6.19, the weight of the animals was 78.87 kg and the temperature was 24.22ºC, indicating a normal distribution. Similarly, no correlations were found between the studied variables, but it was possible to clarify that weight is not a predictor with respect to the presence of petechiae, ecchymosis and vertebral fractures. It is concluded that the incidence of petechiae, ecchymosis and vertebral fractures in pork carcasses is due to inadequate handling in the ante-mortem process and the head-only stunning method. The application of a piglift, head-chest system in the ´´EMRAQ-EP´´ is recommended to significantly improve the effects caused by the stunning method in pork carcasses.