W. Reichardt et al., SOME ANALYTIC CHARACTERISTICS OF MEAT QUALITY IN FATTENING BULL, STEERS AND HEIFERS OF VARIOUS BREEDS AND THEIR CROSSBREEDS, Zuchtungskunde, 69(5), 1997, pp. 366-384
Various beef breeds and their crossbreeding products are used in Thuri
ngia at present in suckler and nurse cow systems. In a study of severa
l years it was examined whether the various genetic origins differ not
only in fattening performance and carcass composition but also In mea
t quality characteristics. The results obtained so far may be summariz
ed as follows: Among the nutritive components of meat mainly intramusc
ular fat content (IFM) and proportion of pure muscle protein vary, whi
le water, crude protein, muscle protein and nonprotein nitrogen conten
ts vary relatively little. Fatty acid pattern of intramuscular fat sho
ws great differences between the experimental groups as far as unsatur
ated fatty acids are concerned. Mainly the animals of the breeds beef
Fleckvieh, Salers and Montbeliard show high proportions of unsaturated
fatty acids. L, a* and b* values 48 hours and 14 days p. m., absorba
bility of dissolved meat extraction liquors and reflection within the
visual range of minced meat 14 days p. m. were compared in 27 animals
as characteristic values of meat colour. Because of the higher variati
on of reflection it is recommended to measure meat colour 14 days p. m
.