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Comparison of the Cutability and Eatability of Beef- and Dairy-Type Cattle¹

Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station,^,6 East Lansing

Abstract

A group of 25 beef-type cattle and a group of 25 Holstein cattle fed on three separate trials were handled and slaughtered under similar conditions. Twenty-five beef-type steers with similar carcass characteristics to the original 25 beef-type steers were included in the cutting comparisons. The groups were compared from the standpoint of dressing percent, carcass grade, percent of wholesale cuts, percent of trimmed round, sirloin and porter-house steaks and percent of separable lean, fat and bone in the carcass. In addition, rib roasts were cooked and the meat was evaluated for cooking losses, tenderness, flavor of fat and lean, texture, aroma and juiciness. Results show that the beef-type cattle had a higher carcass yield and graded higher. Although there were a few statistically significant differences between the beef- and dairy-type steers in cut-out percents, there were no appreciable differences in percent of high-priced wholesale cuts or total trimmed retail steaks. Furthermore, the difference in percent separable lean in the carcass between breed types was negligible. Thus, there was little advantage for beef-type from the standpoint of carcass cut-out.

Although roasts from the beef-type cattle had a greater shrinkage during cooking, they were rated significantly higher for intensity of lean flavor and for quality and quantity of juiciness. However, there was no significant difference attributable to aroma, texture of lean, flavor of fat or tenderness as measured with either the Warner-Bratzler shear or panel score.

¹ Journal Article 2914, Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, East Lansing.

² Department of Animal Husbandry.

³ Department of Food Science.

⁴ Formerly in Dept. of Foods and Nutrition. Present address: Dept. of Home Economics, Indiana Univ., Bloomington, Ind.

⁵ Deceased. Formerly, Head, Dept. of Animal Husbandry.

⁶ The authors acknowledge the assistance of Louis L. Madsen, Washington State Univ., and George K. Davis, Univ. of Florida, both formerly staff members in the Dept. of Agricultural Chemistry, who supervised the chemical analysis.