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Palatability of Goat Meat from Carcasses Electrically Stimulated at Four Different Stages during the Slaughter-Dressing Sequence¹

Meats and Muscle Biology Section, Dept. of Animal Science, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, College Station, TX

Abstract

Ninety-six goats of similar age, weight, quality grade and yield grade were slaughtered and randomly assigned to one of six groups. Sixteen carcasses were handled conventionally and served as the controls; four groups of 16 carcasses each were electrically stimulated at four different stages during the slaughter-dressing sequence: immediately following exsanguination, pelt removal, evisceration, or splitting; 16 carcasses were not electrically stimulated but were high temperature conditioned. The loin and leg from the right side of each carcass were removed 1 day postmortem, the loin and leg from the left side of each carcass were removed 7 days postmortem. Most of the day-1 samples from high temperature conditioned or electrically stimulated goats were more tender than were untreated controls. With an aging period of 7 days, chops from electrically stimulated goats retained their tenderness advantage over chops from untreated controls. High temperature conditioned goats had longissimus muscles with significantly longer sarcomeres than did goats which were electrically stimulated after evisceration or goats in the control group. There were few tenderness advantages associated with electrical stimulation at any particular stage during the slaughter-dressing sequence. Electrical stimulation is not merely accelerated aging; aging for 7 days did not reduce the difference in tenderness between electrically stimulated and nonstimulated goat carcasses. Electrical stimulation increased tenderness and can be performed on sides or unsplit carcasses at any of several stages during the slaughter-dressing sequence.

¹ T. A. 14954, Meats and Muscle Biology Section, Dept. of Animal Science, Texas Agr. Exp. Sta. This study was partially supported by King Ranch, Inc., Kingsville, TX and the Natural Fibers and Food Protein Commission of Texas, Austin.

² Meats and Muscle Biology Section, Dept. of Animal Science, Texas Agr. Exp. Sta., Texas A&M Univ., College Station, 77843.

³ Texas A&M Univ. Agr. Res. and Extension Center at San Angelo, Rt. 1, Box 950, San Angelo 76901

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