Comparison of eating quality of bull and steer beef

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Abstract
Eating qualities of beef from entire and castrate male animals were compared using taste panel, objective texture and chemical measurements and a consumer panel. The eating quality of roast m. longissimus dorsi, casseroled m. supraspinatus, minced m. gastrocnemius and grilled m. psoas major from bull beef, slaughtered at 400 days was different (by triangular tests) from that of twin steer beef. The differences (attributed to flavour, texture and juiciness) were not substantiated using descriptive scaling tests when the only significant difference was that roast m. longissimus dorsi from bulls was slightly drier than that from steers. Tenderness, juiciness and flavour of roast m. longissimus dorsi from 71 bulls and 84 steers raised semi-intensively to 390 to 510 kg and slaughtered commercially were assessed using descriptive category scales and the instrumental toughness values. There was no significant difference in organoleptic qualities and the distributions of tenderness and juiciness within these populations were similar. Bull beef contained more connective tissue and had less intramuscular fat. Fatness was poorly related to tenderness (r = 0·3) and unrelated to juiciness or flavour. A consumer panel of 606 assessors showed that bull beef was not as pale as steer beef and found no difference in fatness of the cuts, flavour or juiciness. Fore-rib roasts of bull beef were marginally less tender than steer fore rib.