NMR-based metabonomics reveals relationship between pre-slaughter exercise stress, the plasma metabolite profile at time of slaughter, and water-holding capacity in pigs

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabonomics was applied to investigate the effects of pre-slaughter exercise stress on the plasma metabolite profile at time of slaughter. The study included a total of 40 slaughter pigs, which were exposed to one of the following treatments: No pre-slaughter stress (control treatment), pre-slaughter exercise on a treadmill and subsequently 0, 1, or 3 h rest prior to slaughter. NMR-based metabonomics revealed a clear difference in the plasma metabolite profile at time of slaughter between control pigs and pigs exercised without rest, which mainly could be ascribed to increased plasma lactate due to exercise. A resting period of 1 or 3 h prior to slaughter reversed the stress-induced perturbations in the plasma metabolite profile. The plasma metabolite profile at time of slaughter was highly correlated with muscle temperature 1 min post-mortem, and a correlation to WHC was also demonstrated. Lactate was found to be the metabolite of importance for the association between the plasma metabolome and pH, temperature and WHC.