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Composition and Palatability of Early and Late Maturing Beef Breed-Types¹

Texas Tech University^,4, Lubbock 79409

Abstract

A total of 56 steers and heifers (28 purebred Chianina [late maturing] and 28 Hereford x Angus crossbred [early maturing]) were allotted to a 2 (breed-type) x 2 (sex class) x 4 (days on feed) factorial arrangement. Eight cattle (four late maturing and four early maturing) were slaughtered 1 d after allotment; the remaining 48 cattle were fed a high-concentrate diet for either 77, 128 or 182 d. Adjusted fat thickness, percentage of shankless round fat and percentage of carcass fat from early maturing (EM) cattle increased (P < .05) over days on feed (1.5 to 19.9 mm, 5.3 to 21.0% and 12.0 to 36.1%). These fatness measures on the carcasses of late maturing (LM) cattle increased (P < .05) up to 77 d then generally stabil- ized. A breed x days on feed (DOF) interaction (P < .05) resulted from yield grades increasing over time for EM carcasses (1.6 to 3.7), but yield grade for LM carcasses did not vary across DOF (1.5 to 1.3). Muscle to bone ratios (M:B) for the round were higher (P < .05) for EM carcasses than for LM carcasses (6.3 vs 5.6). USDA quality grades increased (P < .05) for both breed groups, but they increased at a faster rate for the carcasses from the EM breed-type. A breed x DOF (cubic) interaction (P < .05) occurred for tenderness, which resulted from loin steaks from LM carcasses that were "very tender" with 0 DOF and became "slightly tender" with any level of grain feeding. The loin steaks from EM carcasses were "slightly tough" with 0 DOF and became "moderately tender" with grain feeding. The later maturing cattle produced carcasses with about 50% less fat, 2 to 10% more saleable product and lower M:B ratios and USDA quality grades than the earlier maturing cattle. Results indicate that low-fat beef with desirable palatability could be produced by cattle of a late maturing breed-type.

¹ Mention of a trade name, proprietary product or specific equipment does not constitute a guarantee or warranty of the product by Texas Tech University and does not imply approval to the exclusion of other products that may also be suitable.

² Present address: Dept. of Anim. Sci., Texas A&M Univ., College Station 77843.

³ Present address: Dept. of Food Sci., Univ. of Missouri, Columbia 65211.

⁴ Dept. of Anim. Sci. Manuscript No. T-5-246.