An integrative review of pre-slaughter stress: Physiological mechanisms, meat quality impacts and mitigation strategies
Author(s): Tejavath Sravan Kumar, N Rajanna, M Mahender and RMV Prasad
Abstract: The time leading up to slaughter represents a crucial phase where animal welfare and economic value intersect. This review consolidates scientific findings on how pre-slaughter stress affects meat quality in livestock and poultry. It explains the physiological basis of stress especially the rapid Sympathetic-Adrenal-Medullary (SAM) axis and the slower Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis and their roles in muscle metabolism. Acute stress causes a sharp post-mortem pH fall, resulting in Pale, Soft, Exudative (PSE) meat, while chronic stress leads to glycogen depletion and Dark, Firm, Dry (DFD) meat. The review also considers psychological stressors like fear and novelty, discusses cortisol-induced ante-mortem proteolysis, and compares the regulatory frameworks of the United Kingdom, the United States, and India. It concludes that mitigating pre-slaughter stress is both an ethical duty and a cornerstone of meat quality assurance, advocating for science-based strategies to integrate animal welfare into meat production. (AHDB, N.D.; Research Gate, N.D.; PubMed Central, N.D.) [1, 6, 7, 23, 24].
