Meat Quality of Lai Sind, Brahman  Lai Sind and Charolais x Lai Sind Cattle Raised in Dak Lak Province

Abstract

The present study was to evaluate meat quality in terms of pH, color, drip loss, cooking loss and tenderness of 3 types of cattle, viz. Lai Sind, F1(Charolais ´ Lai Sind) and F1(Brahman ´ Lai Sind) raised in Dak Lak province. A total of 15 male cattle of the three types, each with 5 heads,, were fattened for three months starting from 21 months of age. After fattening, the animals were slaughtered for evaluation of meat quality. It was found that the pH value and color (L*, a* and b*) of  loin were not significantly different among the cattle types, although the pH value was reduced rapidly within 48 hours after slaughtering and then stayed stable until 8 days of preservation. At the same time, the value L*, a* and b* increased from 12 hours to 48 hours and then became stable. The drip loss ratio was low and not significantly different among the cattle types. Conversely, the cooking loss ratio was high in all groups with those at 48 hours and 8 days being higher than at 12 hours. The tenderness of loin was significantly different among the groups at the 48 hours and 8 days after slaughtering. This value was highest at 48 hours and then deminished at 8 days after slaughtering