EFFECT OF ELECTRICAL STIMULATION ON CARCASSES FROM STRESSED AND UNSTRESSED STEERS

Twelve steers of known breeding and management history were assigned to two antemortem treatment groups (stress or no stress). After evisceration and splitting, sides in each group were randomly assigned to two electrical stimulation treatments (no stimulation or stimulated intermittently with one amp current for 2 min). ES did not affect any of the carcass characteristics in the stressed group except lean and overall maturity. Although ES did not affect lean color in stressed carcasses, they were darker in color than unstressed carcasses. The unstressed stimulated carcasses were more tender and contained less panel detectable connective tissue than the unstressed-unstimulated carcasses. ES did not improve tenderness of stressed carcasses. Thus, it appears that ES will be effective only on carcasses that have not severely depleted their stores of muscle glycogen.