Effects of Ambient Temperature and Transportation Distance on the Resulting Pork Quality

Niche pork marketers are emphasizing quality and consistency of product. Specific factors have been identified as potentially causing product variability. These include temperature and time on the truck. In order to begin to identify opportunities to manage product variability, this research project has been structured to control for two factors. Data collection periods were chosen to include both very hot and very cold periods with moderate weather included as a base. A spreadsheet was designed for data input. The data fields include more than distance and temperature. These additional fields serve to isolate exogenous effects that might skew portions of the core data within the analysis. Also, the additional fields are available for future study of additional specific management factors.

Preliminary results are available but will be more complete by April 2008. Findings suggest that there is a dynamic created with each hauling event. Since the hogs must be harvested regardless of weather, it is important for the producer to understand the totality of effects that can reduce carcass quality. These include handling facilities, space on the trailer, genetics, condition of the hogs when loaded, producer handling technique, time on the trailer, transfer station, and handling at the plant. Correcting for one factor such as temperature is not a silver bullet. There is need for further practical trials to determine operational optimums. Clearly, there will be a need to optimize within each producer’s conditions. The opportunity exists for niche companies to reduce costs by reducing variability and defects that show up at the processing plant. Handling procedures designed to humane standards also can likely be modified for weather extremes, if producers can understand the scope of the potential loss and the possibility of improving. Temperature and humidity clearly can have a negative effect on product quality. Time on the trailer is generally less negative since most of the stress effect occurs in handling and early in the trip.

Contacts:
Reginald Clause, Value Added Agriculture Extension
165 Heady Hall
Ames, IA 50011
rclause@iastate.edu
515-294-6601

Ray Hansen, Value Added Agriculture Extension
1111C NSRIC
Ames, IA 50011
hansenr@iastate.edu
515 294-0648