Effects of transport distance, lairage time and stunning efficiency on cortisol, glucose, HSPA1A and how they relate with meat quality in cattle

• Relationship between number of stunning shots, distance, stress and meat quality was determined.
• Animals requiring multiple stunning had more heat shock proteins.
• Longer transport duration caused more heat shock proteins and cortisol and reduced glucose levels.
• Heat shock proteins were negatively correlated with most parameters

This study determined the effects of distance travelled, lairage duration and number of stunning shots on the plasma levels of bovine heat shock protein 70 (HSPA1A), cortisol (CORT) and glucose (GLU) and their relationship with beef quality. There were positive correlations among HSPA1A, GLU, CORT, a*, b* and the HUE angle. Animals that were stunned more than once had the highest HSPA1A (13.61 ± 2.874 ng/ml) and CORT (109.36 ± 8.373 nmol/L) levels. Animals that travelled for 200 < 400 km had lower HSPA1A expression (8.29 ± 2.026 ng/ml) than those that were transported for 400 < 800 km (12.11 ± 2.548 ng/ml) and < 200 km (17.32 ± 2.362 ng/ml). Lairage duration affected (P < 0.05) the expression of HSPA1A, GLU and CORT levels. Animals stunned more than once had elevated CORT and HSPA1A levels. HSPA1A, CORT and GLU were related to beef quality. Stunning of animals more than once increased the levels of blood CORT and HSPA1A.