title: A comparison of the meat properties of pasture-fed steers, heifers, pregnant heifers and spayed heifers.
abstract: Mean ultimate pH values, sarcomere lengths, cooking losses, Warner-Bratzler peak shear values and compression values for the M. longissimus dorsi (LD) did not differ significantly between heifers, spayed heifers, heifers fitted with a HEIGRO(TM) device(∗) pregnant heifers (2 to 6 months pregnant) and steers, killed at 18 or 22 months of age, with mean carcass weights of 189 and 221 kg, respectively. This result, from animals grazed at pasture, agrees with those of others who used LD samples from lot-fed animals. It would appear that carcasses of non-pregnant heifers, spayed heifers, pregnant heifers, heifers fitted with a HIEGRO(TM) device and steers of similar age and subcutaneous fat depth, do not need to be differentiated on grounds of tenderness.
authors: CSIRO Meat Research Laboratory, PO Box 12, Cannon Hill, Queensland 4170, Australia.
authors: P E
authors: PE
authors: Bouton
authors: P V
authors: PV
authors: Harris
authors: W R
authors: WR
authors: Shorthose
authors: G R
authors: GR
authors: Saul