Beef carcasses with larger eye muscle areas, lower ossification scores and improved nutrition have a lower incidence of dark cutting

This study evaluated the effect of eye muscle area (EMA), ossification, carcass weight, marbling and rib fat depth on the incidence of dark cutting (pH u>5.7) using routinely collected Meat Standards Australia (MSA) data. Data was obtained from 204,072 carcasses at a Western Australian processor between 2002 and 2008. Binomial data of pH u compliance was analysed using a logit model in a Bayesian framework. Increasing eye muscle area from 40 to 80cm 2, increased pH u compliance by around 14% (P<0.001) in carcasses less than 350kg. As carcass weight increased from 150kg to 220kg, compliance increased by 13% (P<0.001) and younger cattle with lower ossification were also 7% more compliant (P<0.001). As rib fat depth increased from 0 to 20mm, pH u compliance increased by around 10% (P