Effects of pelvic carcass suspension and maturation methods on production characteristics and meat quality of Nellore and Brangus cattle - A proteomic approach
The objective is to evaluate the effects of the carcass suspension method and maturation technique on the production and quality of beef (zebu and crossbred) from a biochemical and metabolic perspective of muscle tissue, analyzed by proteomics and metabolomics assays before and after the different maturation conditions - wet or wet aged and dry or dry aged. The carcass suspension method can affect meat tenderness by preventing sarcomere shortening, in addition to preventing intracellular water loss, thus increasing yield and improving juiciness. Thus, correlations between proteome and metabolome on phenotypic traits of meat quality will be studied. It is expected that the method of suspending carcasses by the pelvic bone, a model similar to the Australian one (trenderstrech), improves meat quality characteristics when compared to the conventional method. In addition, hanging when done by the pelvic bone may contribute to reducing the minimum time necessary for the sirloin to mature, with a concomitant improvement in the tenderness of this commercial cut. Maturation by the dryaged method gives the meat a flavor different from that matured by the wet method, wetaged; thus, products of dry aging metabolism improve the organoleptic characteristics of the meat, enhancing umami flavors. The information from the technologies studied in this project can be incorporated by production systems and national industries that can apply the suspension of the carcass by the pelvic bone in order to improve the meat quality of Nellore and crossbred cattle (F1 Zebu x Taurine).