This study aimed at identifying possible pre-slaughter indicators and/or indexes to be used to predict pig stress response and meat quality variation. Data were collected on 44 shipments (loads) of Italian heavy pigs. For each shipment, several pre-slaughter parameters were recorded on farm, during transport, and at the slaughterhouse. Blood and meat samples were taken from 10 pigs from every of the 44 loads included in the study (N = 440). Blood samples were used to assess cortisol and creatine kinase levels, whereas meat samples were used to assess meat quality (pH, instrumental color, tenderness, water-holding capacity, and sensory analysis). Cluster analysis of blood parameters allowed the categorization of the shipments into two main clusters: Lower Stress (LS) and Higher Stress (HS). The variables/indexes statistically differing between the two clusters were: average vehicle speed during transport, welfare index at slaughter (i.e., “slaughter score”), overall transport and slaughter welfare index (TSWI), distance travelled, and behaviors (slips, falls, overlaps) during unloading, which appeared to be the best descriptors of the welfare conditions experienced by Italian heavy pigs during pre-slaughter handling. No consistent effects of the stress level experienced on meat quality was detected, which warrants the need for further studies conducted under more variable pre-slaughter conditions, with the aim of simplifying and improving the TSWI.

中文翻译：

---

确定可能的屠宰前指标以预测压力和肉质：重型猪的研究。

这项研究旨在确定可能的屠宰前指标和/或指标，以预测猪的应激反应和肉质变化。收集了44批意大利重猪的装运量。对于每批货物，农场，运输过程中和屠宰场都会记录一些屠宰前参数。从研究中包括的44种负载中的每一种中，从10头猪中采集血液和肉类样品（N = 440）。血液样本用于评估皮质醇和肌酸激酶水平，而肉类样本用于评估肉质（pH，仪器颜色，嫩度，持水量和感官分析）。血液参数的聚类分析允许将货物分类为两个主要的聚类：较低压力（LS）和较高压力（HS）。这两个类别之间在统计学上不同的变量/指标是：运输过程中的平均车速，屠宰时的福利指数（即“屠宰分数”），总体运输和屠宰福利指数（TSWI），行驶距离和行为（滑倒，跌倒（重叠）），这似乎是意大利重猪在屠宰前处理过程中所经历的福利条件的最好描述。没有检测到压力水平对肉品质的持续影响，因此有必要在更多样化的屠宰前条件下进行进一步研究，以简化和改善TSWI。和卸载过程中的行为（滑倒，掉落，重叠），这似乎是意大利重猪在屠宰前处理过程中所经历的福利条件的最好描述。没有检测到压力水平对肉品质的持续影响，因此有必要在更多样化的屠宰前条件下进行进一步研究，以简化和改善TSWI。和卸载过程中的行为（滑倒，掉落，重叠），这似乎是意大利重猪在屠宰前处理过程中所经历的福利条件的最好描述。没有检测到压力水平对肉品质的持续影响，因此有必要在更多样化的屠宰前条件下进行进一步研究，以简化和改善TSWI。