Porcine stress syndrome results from what condition?

• A. Stress depleting glycogen reserves
• B. Viral infection
• C. Vitamin deficiency
• D. Bacterial toxins

Answer: (A)

Porcine stress syndrome is a genetic metabolic disorder in pigs where stress triggers an abnormal release of calcium in muscle cells. That calcium surge causes sustained muscle contraction and a huge spike in metabolic activity, so muscle cells burn through glycogen very rapidly to power glycolysis. The rapid glycogen depletion, along with lactic acid buildup and heat production, leads to the characteristic problems seen under stress and can affect meat quality after slaughter. Because the defining feature is this stress-driven, rapid use of glycogen reserves in muscle, the best answer is that it results from depleting glycogen reserves under stress. The other choices describe infections or toxins that don’t explain this metabolic mechanism.