INFLUENCE OF “ANTE MORTEM” RESTING TIME AND MOLASSES DIET UPON MUSCULAR GLYCOGEN LEVELS IN EQUINES MEAT (Equus caballus)

Abstract

Influence of “ante mortem” resting time and molasses diet upon muscular glycogen levels in equines meat (Equus caballus) were studied. Forty-eight samples of triceps brachial and biceps femoral muscles of twenty-four adults and hybrids equines with approximately the same weights were analyzed. The animals were divided before death, in six groups with “ante mortem” resting time of zero, six, fourteen, eighteen and twenty-four hours, respectively. The animal groups with eighteen hours of rest were divided in two sub-groups and one received water solution with 5% of molasses. Alteration in pH levels were not observed. The glycogen was measured by Pfluger and Nelson’s methods. The group with smaller glycogen level was the group with zero hour of “ante mortem” rest, while the group with higher glycogen levels was the group with twenty-four hours of rest.