Effects of Stunning Method and Time Interval from Stunning to Exsanguination on Blood Splashing in Pork1

Summary Two studies were designed to test the effects of stunning method and time interval between stunning and exsanguination on blood splashing in pork muscle. In study I, 82 market weight barrows and gilts were assigned randomly to one of two treatments using captive bolt (CB) stunning with either a short (S; 18.5 + 11.1 s) or a delayed (D; 144.7 +- 36.8 s) time interval to exsanguination. More (P .05) blood splashing. Carcasses in the CB-D group had more (P .05) for the CB-S, E-S and E-D groups. The gluteus medius muscle of pigs in the CB-D group had more (P<.05) blood splashing than did the other muscles from pigs in this group. Blood splashing in the diaphragm was correlated with blood splashing in the ham face (.69), cured ham (.69), gluteus medius (.71), gluteus accessorius (.48) and obturatorius internus (.54).