The cumulative effect of nutritional, shearing and preslaughter washing stresses on the quality of lamb meat

Carcass and meat characteristics were measured in lambs exposed to combinations of nutritional, shearing and preslaughter washing treatments. Both shearing and a low plane of nutrition reduced carcass weight ( P < 0·001) and increased carcass leanness ( P < 0·01). Tenderness and colour of M. longissimus dorsi were not significantly influenced by treatments even though there were substantial responses in meat pH. In lambs subjected to all three stressors pH was 0·40 units above control levels, significantly more than the sum of individual effects ( P < 0·05), demonstrating a cumulative effect of stressors on meat pH.