Meat and carcass quality of Dexter cattle compared with that of suckler, Charolais-cross calves: a preliminary study

Abstract

Tenderness, flavour and colour are the most important quality traits of beef that are influenced by breed and age. Suckler calves (SC) produce very tender, high-quality meat. Extensively growing, small-framed breeds are known for high-quality beef, but information about the particularly small Dexter cattle (D) is yet unavailable. Eight D and seven Charolais-crossbreed SC were kept for 11 weeks on alpine pastures to be able to compare their meat quality. The SC were kept with their dams. The animals of the two breeds were slaughtered at different ages (D: 15 months and SC: 7 months) consistent with their respective production system conventions. Although this meant that age and breed effects were confounded, slaughter took place at the same carcass fatness score, thereby avoiding a confounding effect on meat quality. Quality of the carcass and of two muscles (M. biceps femoris, M. longissimus thoracis) was analysed. Despite being older, D had lower body and carcass weights, dressing percentage and bodyweight gains than SC. Dexter meat was darker than SC meat. Shear force did not differ between D and SC in the M. longissimus thoracis but was higher in the M. biceps femoris from D than from SC. Sensory analysis by a trained panel demonstrated an overall preference for D meat, associated with more favourable flavour and juiciness. Tenderness was not rated differently. Despite the unfavourable darker colour of D compared with SC meat, its characteristic flavour might attract consumers in a high-price niche market. For a more comprehensive characterisation, sensory evaluation of additional muscles is required. Additional measurements on a larger number of animals and muscles are required.