THE EFFECT OF GRAIN FEEDING ON THE EATING QUALITY OF BEEF FROM CULLED COWS

Abstract

The cooking and eating quality characteristics of rib-eye roasts obtained from cows after removal from the breeding herd and after 8 or 16 wk of realimentation were determined. Evaluations of the effects of maturity class (physiological age) and external fatness on meat quality were also made. Cooking losses from roasts were affected by maturity class, external fat "cover" and realimentation. The percentage of fat in raw muscle samples representing maturity classes II (intermediate) and III (mature) was similar and significantly higher than that of comparable maturity class I (youthful) samples. There were significant differences in percent fat due to realimentation. Trained panelists determined significant effects of maturity on tenderness, amount of connective tissue and amount of fat. Water-holding capacity data for roasts from maturity classes I and II were similar and significantly higher than comparable samples from maturity class III animals. However, objective measurements of tenderness, softness and color for roasts showed no differences due to maturity class. All palatability traits evaluated subjectively and objectively in roasts show no significant effects of either external fat or realimentation. Thus these studies suggest that rib-eyes obtained from culled cows with or without realimentation may be acceptable to Canadian consumers as a retail cut.