Effects of stress by unfamiliar sounds on carcass and meat traits in bulls from three continental beef cattle breeds at different ageing times

• Pre-slaughter stress in the lairage and beef quality.
• Stress due to unfamiliar noises had a moderately negative effect on carcass and meat quality
• Overnight lairage in the company of pigs produced an increase in pH0, pH24 and WBSF.
• The ageing time had a significant effect on chromatic variables, WBSF and PL
• The treatment had a different effect on the breeds studied for WBSF and PL

One-hundred-and-twenty-four young bulls of three Continental beef cattle breeds were used to study the effect of pre-slaughter stress by unfamiliar sounds on carcass traits and quality characteristics of beef aged for three different periods. Stress due to unfamiliar noises had a moderately negative effect on carcass and meat quality. Carcasses from group Stressed had higher (P < 0.05) values of pH0, pH24, a*, and Warner-Bratzler shear force, and lower (P < 0.05) values of L*, b* and pressure losses than from Unstressed animals. There were significant differences (P < 0.05) among breeds in L*, a* and pressure losses. The ageing time had a significant effect on chromatic variables, WBSF and pressure losses. The cooking losses were not significantly affected by any of the three factors discussed. These results emphasize the importance of implementing appropriate management practices during pre-slaughter handling of cattle in order to reduce any possible risk factor for stress, as well as the different sensitivity of the breeds to similar stimuli.