*3.2.2 Marketing condition*

The animals buying from markets have more occurrence of dark cutting than those receiving from farm to directly processing plants [40]. On the other hand, Warner et al. [41] reported no difference in dark cutting between those two groups, however, corticosteroid level in blood increased and muscle glycogen decreased with those treated saleyard management. Warren et al. [40] also verified the same case with animals coming though saleyard and directly from a farm. The traveling time, loading, unloading and water availability are other factors to be noted.

**Figure 1.**

*Pre-slaughter animal handling and its effects on meat quality and carcass. The figure was adopted from the table of a review [51–58].*

Apart from marketing system, dark cutting can be developed due to stressful activities before slaughtering of animals as these practices deplete muscle glycogen. To avoid fighting and other unknown damage, cattle are kept separately from new ones [42]. Mounier et al. [43] found an increase in dark cutting occurrence in those animals who were mixed with unfamiliar ones. Stress should be avoided before slaughtering and if stress happens accidently, it should be removed in a reasonable time.

#### *3.2.3 Transport conditions*

Due to improper handling, noise, weather conditions, loading, unloading, overcrowding and water and feed scarcity, transportation affects badly to meat and carcass quality [44, 45]. Tarrant et al. [46] reported that transporting stress can be minimized by some resting time on long traveling, adopting good handling techniques and loading ramps. Ferguson et al. [47] stated that short journey (less than 400 km) has no considerable effect on meat and carcass quality. Chulayo et al. [48] reported that as the transport distance crosses 400 km range, an additional stress affects the animal body leading to poor meat and carcass quality.

Warren et al. [40] said that there is higher occurrence of dark cutting in nervous cattle than those of calm ones. Schwartzkopf-Genswein et al. [49] advised that transporting vehicles should be divided into portions as in this way, small groups of animals are loaded, transported and unloaded. Grouping of animals with different sexes and from different farms should not be done [37, 40, 50]. The effect of preslaughter animal handling on meat and carcass quality is described in **Figure 1**.
