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The authors would like to thank Drs Carlos Sanudo, Geoff Nute, and Pere Alberti for their valuable scientific contributions. This work was funded by the EU Commission Sixth Framework Programme Project "GemQual" (QLK5-CT-2000-00147) . JLW is currently supported by the project LEO Livestock Environment Open-data, 16.2 - PSRN 2014-2020 funded through Fondo Europeo Agricolo per lo Sviluppo Rurale (FEASR) . JA is currently supported by the INTAQT project that has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement N 101000250r (FEASR) . JA is currently supported by the INTAQT project that has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement N 101000250

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Modelling the physiological, muscular, and sensory characteristics in relation to beef quality from 15 cattle breeds

Publicated to:Livestock Science. 280 105395- - 2024-01-12 280(), DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2023.105395

Authors: Albechaalany, J; Ellies-Oury, M-p; Saracco, J; Campo, M M; Richardson, I; Ertbjerg, P; Failla, S; Panea, B; Williams, J L; Christensen, M; Hocquette, J -f

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Abstract

Sensory beef quality is an important parameter for consumers, but it is difficult to understand what determines quality because of the large variation due to breed, type of animal, sex, and farm management. To address these challenges, meat samples from Longissimus thoracis (LT) were collected 24 h after slaughter from a total of 436 young bulls representing 15 cattle breeds. The samples were analysed for physiological, muscular, and sensory characteristics to evaluate beef quality. Ten groups of variables were identified by hierarchical cluster analysis of individual variables and Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The variables described distinct characteristics, including Physiological traits (animal maturity, growth rate, muscle mass), Sensory traits (tenderness, juiciness, flavor, meat colour), and some Muscular characteristics such as lipid content, maturation enzymes and oxidative metabolism, which are likely to discriminate among breeds. The analyses showed that muscular characteristics are positively associated with beef sensory characteristics whereas physiological characteristics are negatively associated with sensory quality. Dairy breeds produced beef rich in lipids with a strong flavour, French breeds showed fast growth rate and highly flavoured meat, and Italian breeds were characterised by good muscular development. In contrast, British breeds have oxidative muscles and produce beef with a strong flavour. Danish breeds have an intermediate score for the sensorial and muscular characteristics.

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