Influence of age and method of carcass suspension on meat quality attributes of pure bred Ankole bulls

This study investigated the effect of age at slaughter, pre-rigour carcass suspension and their interaction on meat quality of longissimus dorsi from Ankole bulls. Ankole bulls (45) were evenly distributed into three age groups (2, 3 or 5 years). Immediately after slaughter, carcasses were weighed, halved and sides were either suspended in the Achilles tendon or pelvic bone until 48 h postmortem. Carcass weights, grades and fat scores increased (P<0.001) with increasing age. Pelvic suspended sides had lower (P<0.001) chilling and cooking loss than Achilles-suspended sides across all age groups. Collagen solubility decreased (P<0.001), while shear force increased (P<0.001) with increasing age. Pelvic suspension decreased shear force across all age groups and the decrease was more pronounced in 5 year old bulls. The present study indicates that pelvic suspension is beneficial in eliminating the age-induced increase in toughness in longissimus thoracis from Ankole bulls.