Comparative analysis of carcass traits and meat quality in indigenous Chinese cattle breeds

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the carcass traits and meat quality of typical Chinese indigenous cattle breeds, and to compare the difference in beef composition between breeds. We measured 5 carcass traits and 61 meat quality indicators in each striploin and outside flat cuts. The results showed that northern Chinese breeds had superior beef production performance in terms of slaughter weight, carcass weight and lean meat weight compared to southern breeds. The improved breeds for meat specialized had significantly higher slaughter weights than local breeds (P < 0.01). With respect to edibility, Pingliang red cattle demonstrated superior tenderness with lower shear force. Xinjiang brown cattle and Jiaxian red cattle exhibited lower cooking and water loss rates. The improved breeds had higher fat content, while majority of the local breeds showed higher crude protein content.The comparison results of targeted metabolites indicated that local breeds had more flavor amino acids than improved breeds. Additionally, the composition of amino acids and fatty acids varied among breeds, and Chinese cattle exhibited a healthier composition compared to foreign breeds.This study clarifies the carcass characteristics and meat quality in Chinese cattle breeds, promoting the development of the beef cattle industry towards high efficiency and high quality.