Original scientific paper
The effect of the castration on meat quality traits of Holstein young bulls
Ivica Kos
; Zavod za specijalno stočarstvo, Sveučilište u Zagrebu Agronomski fakultet
Miljenko Konjačić
; Zavod za specijalno stočarstvo, Sveučilište u Zagrebu Agronomski fakultet
Ante Ivanković
; Zavod za specijalno stočarstvo, Sveučilište u Zagrebu Agronomski fakultet
Ivan Širić
; Zavod za specijalno stočarstvo, Sveučilište u Zagrebu Agronomski fakultet
Tomislav Jakopović
; Belje d.d.
Abstract
The aim of this paper was to establish the effect of the castration of Holstein young bulls on eye-muscle area and physical characteristics of longissimus muscle. Research was carried out on 24 young bulls, from which 10 were castrated at proximate body weight of 220 kg. Both experimental groups were kept in the same conditions during the total fattening period of 14 months. Eye-muscle area, pH value, colour, drip loss and cooking loss were determined after slaughter and carcass cooling on longissimus muscle between 12th and 13th rib. It was found that bulls had significantly higher longissimus muscle area for 10.9% compared to castrates. Colour traits L* and b* were significantly higher in castrates, while pH value and a* measured 24 h post mortem did not differ among groups. Cooking loss was higher in bulls for 15.3% compared to castrates. Significantly higher drip loss was determined in castrates after one, two and five days of storage in refrigerator for 100.6, 47.0 and 24.9%, respectively. However, drip loss measured after 7 days of storage did not differ between experimental groups. A thorough analysis showed that significantly higher daily difference of drip losses was found in castrates during first day of storage; then the daily differences were similar, and during 7th day there was higher daily difference of drip losses in bulls. According to the results obtained we can conclude that castrates had lighter (paler) meat with higher drip loss, but smaller cooking loss compared to bulls.
Keywords
beef; Holstein; castration; meat quality
Hrčak ID:
181414
URI
Publication date:
1.10.2013.
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