Bulls technological meat quality influenced by breed and rearing intensity

Abstract

Production systems of bulls for meat production are often quite intensive and focuses on carcass composition and hence the production economy relates to rearing efficiency (feed efficiency, growth, slaughter age etc.) and carcass payment according to the EUROP classification system. Insemination of dairy cows using beef breed semen allows producers to add value of offsprings by increasing carcass yields and overall value. This adaption has great potential in Sweden, where approximately 85% of all dairy cows are still bred with dairy semen [1]. However, according to previous research, best paid carcasses according to the EUROP system does not automatically result in meat with the best eating quality [2]. Therefore, it is important to evaluate how such production systems would affect eating quality of the meat. Even if eating quality is a subjective measure and therefore differ depending on personal preferences, there are however some quality measures that can be highlighted as more important from a consumer point of view, such as colour, tenderness and juiciness. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate how purebred dairy bulls and dairy-beef crossbred bulls raised in either a low-intensity production system (slaughter age 18 months) or a high-intensity production system (slaughter age 15 months) would affect the technological parameters of meat quality; color (L*, a* and b*), thaw loss, cooking loss and Warner-Bratzler Shear Force (WBSF).

Published in

Publisher: ICoMST

Conference

70th International Congress of Meat Science and Technology (ICoMST), 2024, August 18-23, Foz do Iguaçu. Brazil

SLU Authors

• Stenberg, Elin

  • Department of Applied Animal Science and Welfare, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Karlsson, Anders

  • Department of Applied Animal Science and Welfare, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Arvidsson Segerkvist, Katarina

  • Department of Applied Animal Science and Welfare, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Animal and Dairy Science
Food Science

Publication identifier

• ISBN: 978-85-7747-225-3

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/132391