Abstract

This experiment investigated the differences between fillet, strip loin and rump cuts obtained from carcasses of pasture-fed bulls. Four samples of each cut were collected on two different occasions and aged at 15 C for 2, 24, 48 ,72 and 120 hours. The pH of the fillet and rump cuts did not change post-slaughter. The pH of the strip loin was higher at slaughter but declined over time and by 48 hrs post-slaughter there were no differences in the pH value of the three cuts. Shear force was determined using a MIRINZ tenderometer. The fillet had the lowest shear force and the rump cut had the highest. There were no differences in the activities of the components of the calpain system at 2 hours post-slaughter. These results suggest that the differences in meat quality and particularly ultimate tenderness, between the three cuts were not due to differences in the activities of the components of the calpain system or pH

BC, Thomson, PM Dobbie, K Singh, and PA Speck

Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production, Volume 56, , 184-186, 1996