Cooking and eating quality of steers slaughtered at 454, 544 or 635 kg liveweight were studied in two experiments carried out over 2 yr. In the first year, Maine-Anjou × Holstein (MH), Limousin × Holstein (LH) and pure Holstein (H1) were involved, in the second year, the genetic groups were Chianina × Holstein (KH), Blonde d'Aquitaine × Holstein (BH) and pure Holstein (H2). Within each slaughter weight, there were no differences among the genetic groups with respect to cooking rates or weight loss during cooking in either year. H1 steers had the best flavor at 635 kg and H2 at 454 kg. In both years, Holstein steers attained their best tenderness at 635 kg. No difference in juiciness at the different weights was observed in either year for Holsteins. LH steers were significantly more tender and juicy at 635 kg than at 454 kg whereas BH were more tender and juicy at 544 than at 635 kg. The KH steers attained their best tenderness and juiciness at 454 kg. MH steers had similar scores for flavor, tenderness and juiciness at the three slaughter weights. At 454 kg Holstein steers were significantly superior to MH and LH steers in flavor, to MH steers in tenderness and to LH, BH and KH steers in juiciness. At 544 kg the only significant difference between Holstein and crossbred steers was that with BH in juiciness. At 635 kg the Holstein steers were significantly superior to BH steers in juiciness but inferior in tenderness. All the differences among the crosses were nonsignificant except at 544 kg in which KH had more flavor than BH steers. Key words: Meat quality, slaughter weight, Holstein-Freisian beef × dairy crosses
Physicochemical factors affecting cooking and eating quality of nonwaxy rice
