This study evaluated the effects of intrinsic (sex and breed) and pre-slaughter management practices, including lairage conditions, on the welfare, behaviour, and meat quality of grain-fed veal calves. The behaviour of 502 calves was individually observed during lairage, following loading, transport, trailer waiting time, and unloading, for aggressive and mounting behaviours and drinking. Blood lactate concentration was measured post-exsanguination. Meat quality parameters, including pH 1 h, ultimate pH, colour, drip loss, cooking loss, and shear force, were assessed on pectoralis and longissimus muscles 48 h post-mortem. Males and Angus crossbreeds were more active and more likely to exhibit aggression and mounting ( P < 0.05). Short transport (≤60 min) and brief trailer waiting time (≤20 min) were associated with higher aggression compared with longer durations ( P < 0.05). Calves housed in lairage pens provided less than 1.1 m 2 per animal were more prone to aggression than those with over 1.5 m 2 per calf. Males showed higher initial pH (pH 1h ) and ultimate pH (pH u ) values in both muscles than females ( P < 0.05) but had lower blood lactate than females. These findings indicate that both intrinsic (breed, sex) and extrinsic factors (transport duration, waiting time in the trailer, lairage conditions) affect the welfare, behaviour, and meat quality of grain-fed calves.
Meniga et al. (Thu,) studied this question.