title: Repercussions of growth path on carcass characteristics, meat colour and shear force in Alentejana bulls.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the carcass and meat characteristics of eight muscles from bulls with distinct growth paths. A total of 40 Alentejana male calves were allocated to two distinct feeding regimes. In the continuous growth (CG) system, the animals were fed concentrates plus hay and were slaughtered at 18 months of age. On the other hand, in the discontinuous growth (DG) system, the animals were fed hay until 15 months of age; the cattle were then fed the same diet provided to the CG group from 15 to 24 months of age. The DG reduced hot carcass weight, fatness and dressing %, but the proportions of fat, bone and muscle tissues in the leg were not affected. In contrast, there was a positive impact of compensatory growth on supraspinatus, triceps brachii, semitendinosus, biceps femoris muscle tenderness, overcoming the negative effects of age at slaughter. The reasons for such improvement in meat tenderness were not related to intra-muscular fat content or myofibrillar protein degradation values. An association between tenderness and muscle collagen properties was not established. The results indicate that the compensatory growth has a muscle-dependent effect.
authors.affiliation: 2CIISA - Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária,Universidade de Lisboa,ULisboa,Avenida da Universidade Técnica,Pólo Universitário do Alto da Ajuda,1300-477 Lisboa,Portugal.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: 1L-INIAV Santarém,Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária,Quinta da Fonte Boa,2005-048 Vale de Santarém,Portugal.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Simões
authors.affiliation: 2CIISA - Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária,Universidade de Lisboa,ULisboa,Avenida da Universidade Técnica,Pólo Universitário do Alto da Ajuda,1300-477 Lisboa,Portugal.
authors.forename: A S H
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: 2CIISA - Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária,Universidade de Lisboa,ULisboa,Avenida da Universidade Técnica,Pólo Universitário do Alto da Ajuda,1300-477 Lisboa,Portugal.
authors.forename: J P C
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Lemos
authors.affiliation: 1L-INIAV Santarém,Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária,Quinta da Fonte Boa,2005-048 Vale de Santarém,Portugal.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Navas
authors.affiliation: 3INRA,UR 1213,Unité de Recherches sur les Herbivores (URH),Theix,F-63122 Saint-Genés Champanelle,France.
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Hocquette
authors.affiliation: 5Department of Animal Science,University of Nebraska,Lincoln,Nebraska,USA1A contribution of the University of Nebraska Agricultural Research Division,Lincoln,NE 68583,USA.
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Calkins
authors.affiliation: 1L-INIAV Santarém,Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária,Quinta da Fonte Boa,2005-048 Vale de Santarém,Portugal.
authors.forename: R J B
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Bessa
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D002417:Cattle / Q000254:growth & development*; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary*; D005248:Feeding Methods / Q000592:standards / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis / Q000592:standards*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Bulls; carcass traits; compensatory growth; meat tenderness