Chemical and histological parameters associated with the
tenderness of hemicastrate and steer beef
G.N. Hinch and C.J. Thwaites
Invermay Agricultural Centre, Mosgiel and University of New
England, Armidale, Australia
Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production.
1982, 42: 131-132
Hemicastrates and steers were slaughtered at similar carcass
weights at 14, 18 and 22 months of age for the assessment of factors
associated with tenderness difference in representative forequarter
muscles. Objective tests indicated that hemicastrate meat was tougher
than that from steers at 22 months of age only. Heat labile collagen
content was the major parameter associated with tenderness in M.
longissimus; in both M. splenus and M. triceps brachii
it was sarcomere length.
Keywords: NZSAPAB;
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