Breed and ageing extent on carcass and meat quality of beef from adult steers (oxen)

Abstract

In Spain, there is increasing demand, mainly by restaurants and specialty markets, for beef from adult steers (oxen). Therefore, this study assessed the quality of meat from three breeds which show large differences in meat production, but were reared under the same production system and slaughtered at 42 months of age. The breeds evaluated include a specialized meat breed, Limousine (LIM), a dual-purpose breed, Brown Swiss (BS), and a local breed, Asturiana de los Valles (AV). Effect of ageing extent (14 vs. 28 days) was also evaluated. LIM showed the highest dressing percentage and best conformation score while AV oxen provided the lowest carcass weights. BS and LIM adult steers produced fatter carcasses and BS animals had the highest intramuscular fat content. With the exception of juiciness, which had slightly higher values in BS, breed had little effect on sensory parameters. Shear force values were slightly lower in meat aged for 28 days than in meat aged for 14 days. Regarding sensory parameters, ageing extent beyond 14 days just influenced odour intensity which had higher values in meat aged for 28 days.