EFFECT OF PRE-SLAUGHTER REST PERIOD ON SOME PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF SIMMENTAL BEEF

The objective of this research was to examine the effect of pre-slaughter rest period in lairage on the Simmental beef quality. The study was conducted on 400 cattle (200 bulls and 200 heifers), aged from 13 to 16 months. The cattle were divided in two groups; the first group included 100 bulls and 100 heifers that were rested for 18 hours in lairage prior to slaughter, while the second group (unrested) included 100 bulls and 100 heifers which were taken to the slaughterline immediately after being unloaded. Quality indicators pH, EC and meat colour values were measured 24 hours post-mortem. Heifers had significantly lower muscle pH24, EC value and significantly higher L*, b* and h* value, while bulls had significantly higher parameters pH24 and EC value (P<0.001). Bulls rested in lairage had significantly higher pH24 (P<0.01) and significantly lower L*, b* and h* value compared with unrested bulls (P<0.05), while rested heifers had significantly lower pH24 (P<0.001) and significantly higher L* and h* value, compared with unrested heifers (P<0.05). Our results indicate that the rest period in heifers could have a beneficial effect on beef quality, while in bulls rest period is not recommended.Cilj rada je bio ispitati utjecaj odmora u oborima stočnog depoa na kakvoću mesa muške i ženske simentalske junadi. Istraživanje je provedeno na 400 junadi (200 muških i 200 ženskih) u starosti od 13 do 16 mjeseci. Junad je bila podijeljena u dvije grupe; u prvu grupu ušlo je 100 muške i 100 ženske junadi koja je odmarana 18 sati u oborima stočnog depoa prije klanja, dok je u drugu grupu ušlo također 100 muške i 100 ženske junadi koja je bez odmora proslijeđena na liniju klanja. Kvalitativni pokazatelji pH, EC i boja mesa mjerena su 24 sata post mortem. Meso ženske junadi imalo je značajno niže vrijednosti parametra pH24, EC i značajno više vrijednosti parametara L*, b* i h*, dok je meso muške junad imala značajno veće vrijednosti parametara pH24 i EC (P<0,001). Meso muške junadi odmarane u oborima stočnog depoa prije klanja imalo je značajno veću vrijednost parametra pH24 (P<0.01) i značajno niže vrijednosti parametara L*, b* i h* u usporedbi s mesom muške junadi klane bez odmora (P<0,05), dok je meso ženske junadi odmarane u oborima stočnog deopa prije klanja imalo značajno nižu vrijednost parametra pH24 (P<0,001) i značajno više vrijednosti parametara L* i h* u usporedbi s mesom ženske junadi klane bez odmora (P