Postslaughter state of muscle tissue of pigs depending on the duration of pre-slaughter fasting

Changes in the muscle tissue microstructure lead to changes in meat quality. One of the causes of the myopathy development is animal stress. Pigs experience the strongest stress during pre-slaughter holding. The study of the postmortem meat structure depending on fasting time is a topical task. The objects of the research were samples of m. L. dorsi obtained after slaughter from pigs that differed in fasting time: 4 (group 1), 8 (group 2), 10 (group 3), 16 (group 4) and 18 (group 5) hours (N = 20, n = 4). Investigation of the microstructure and morphometric measurements were carried out on preparations stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Myopathic changes in muscle tissue were assessed using a semi-quantitative method developed earlier. All studied samples were characterized by the uniform condition of muscle tissue. Statistically significant differences between individual groups were observed regarding the number and area of giant fibers, sarcomere length, diameter of muscle fibers and proportion of muscle fibers, which diameter was lower or higher by 1/3 than the mean fiber diameter. An increase in the pre-slaughter holding time reduced the number and area of giant fibers (r = –0.8437 and –0.5796, respectively), as well as the diameter of “normal” fibers (r = –0.5337), which positively influenced pork quality. Groups 1, 2 and 3 were characterized by the presence of signs of moderate and pronounced myopathy. Only one carcass with pronounced myopathic signs was revealed in each of groups 4 and 5. In group 4, one carcass did not have signs of myopathy. Pre-slaughter holding during 4, 8 and 10 hours led to deterioration of pork quality. The recommended fasting time is 16 hours.