pH decline of the M-longissimus thoracis of night-cropped Grey duiker (Sylvicapra grimmia)

The effect of night cropping (shooting the animal in the head with a light calibre rifle) on the pH(45), pH(24) and rate of pH decline in the M. longi ssimus thoracis of ten Grey duiker was investigated. A mean pH(45) of 6.28 +/- 0.3895 and a mean pH(24) of 5.55 +/- 0.0803 was recorded. The change in pH with time was fitted to the exponential function y = a + b e((ct)) for the pooled data, and values of 5.5156 +/- 0.06294, 0.8387 +/- 0.11184 and - 0.2281 +/- 0.07311 were realised for the constants a, b and c, respectively . This exponential function indicates that the pH of duiker meat reaches an asymptotic pH of 5.52 after 24 hrs under these cropping conditions.