Carcass and meat quality of Friesian, Piemontese x Friesian and Limousin x Friesian young bulls under intensive beef production system in Turkey

WOS: 000182875400003Carcass and meat quality of Friesian (F), Piemontese x Friesian (PixF) and Limousin x Friesian (LixF) young bulls, housed individually on tied stalls and fattened intensively from 180 to 460 days of age, were evaluated. PixF and LixF gave the higher yield, more muscular and leaner carcasses than F. The meat production was higher in the crosses. Mean warm carcass yield, conformation and fatness scores for F, PixF, LixF were 57.21, 61.05, 60.09 % (P < 0.001); Ro, U-, U- and 3+, 2o, 2- (P < 0.05), respectively. No significant differences were found for carcass measurements except carcass length, and for dissections weights except rump and chuck. For F, PixF, LixF, mean M longissimus dorsi area was 76.10,101.15, 91.88 cm(2), respectively (P < 0.01). There were no differences among F with PixF and LixF for muscle pH, and meat colour except tone. Meat colour tone at 24 h in LixF (53.79) was significantly higher than in F (49.76) and PixF (49.52) (P < 0.05). Water holding capacity was lower in PixF than in F and LixF. Cook yield was higher in PixF than in F and LixF. Mean shear force for LixF was lower (14.87 kg) than that of F (18.66 kg) and of PixF (18.29 kg). It is concluded that carcass and meat quality traits of PixF and LixF young bulls were superior to those of F young bulls under intensive beef production system in Turkey