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Exercise effects on muscle glycogen concentration in beef cattle
Lambert MG, Knight TW, Cosgrove GP, Anderson CB, Death AF, Fisher AD
Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production, Volume 58, pp 243-244, Jan 1998
Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production, Volume 58, pp 243-244, Jan 1998
Article class: Conference Presentation
Subject Terms: Acid/base/pH, Animal production/wastage, Biochemistry/chemistry, Clinical pathology, Diagnostic procedures, Disease/defect, Locomotor, Meat, Metabolic disease, Muscle/myology, Quality/assurance
Animal Type: Cattle, Cattle - beef, Livestock, Production animal, Ruminant
Publisher: New Zealand Society of Animal ProductionAbstract
Low ultimate-pH of beef is desirable because it increases shelf life and has beneficial effects on colour and tenderness. Industry recommendations are that beef animals are not exercised strenuously prior to trucking, as this may trigger depletion of muscle glycogen and lead to higher beef pH. In 2 experiments, 400-500 kg 18-month-old steers were exercised at a range of intensities up to 5 km distance at 8 km/hr. Biopsy samples from the longissimus dorsi muscle were taken and glycogen concentration measured. Although plasma lactate levels were elevated by exercise there was no significant depletion in muscle glycogen concentration (average 17.7 mg/g tissue). Depletion may have occurred had animals been heavier and fatter, or if the exercise regime had been more severe. Alternatively, it may be that at the level of exercise imposed (which was severe by farm-practice standards), animals also needed to be emotionally stressed in order to precipitate a depletion of glycogen, through a combination of muscle contractile and adrenergic reactions.The whole of the literary matter of the Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production is copyright New Zealand Society of Animal Production, Downloading this article signifies agreement with the terms and conditions of electronic access.