To assess the effect of an allostatic modulator (AM) on stress blood indicators and meat quality traits, the feed of
80 non-castrated 18–20 month-old bulls was supplemented with 10 g/day of an AM for 30 days before slaughter.
Another 80 bulls served as control animals. The AM was comprised of ascorbic acid, acetoxybenzoic acid and sodium
and potassium chloride. Blood samples were taken at slaughter for analyses of hematocrit value, erythrocyte
and leukocyte counts, and glucose, lactate and cortisol concentrations. Post-mortem measures of meat
color and pH were made at 24 h and color, shear force and cooking loss on meat from 20 animals at 28 days.
The AM supplementation resulted in lower hematocrit value, erythrocyte count and glucose level (P b 0.05),
higher a* (P b 0.0001) and b* (P b 0.0001) at 24 h and lower b* (P b 0.05) at 28 days. Thus AM treatment
improved some stress blood indicators and meat color and therefore merits further investigation.