Electrical Stimulation of Mature Cow Carcasses

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Abstract
Mature cows (n = 95) were slaughtered and assigned to one of three treatment groups: (1) electrical stimulation (ES) of unsplit carcasses, before evisceration, (2) ES, after splitting, of sides, and (3) untreated (not ES) control carcasses or sides. Electrical stimulation consisted of either 150 volts or 550 volts for 1 (16 impulses) min or for 2 (32 impulses) minutes. Carcasses were ribbed at 24 hr postmortem and USDA quality grade factors, lean-color score and “heat-ring” incidence were evaluated. Sections of longissimus muscle (10 to 11th ribs) were used for shear force determinations. Electrical stimulation, irrespective of carcass form, ES voltage or ES duration, improved (P<.05) lean-maturity score, improved (P<.05) lean-color score and decreased (P<.05) shear force value when treated (ES) carcasses and steaks were compared to control (not ES) carcasses and steaks. Use of 550 volts, irrespective of carcass form or ES duration, improved (P<.05) lean-color score and decreased (P<.05) “heat-ring” incidence compared to the use of 150 volts; advantages for 550 vs 150 volts were more evident for carcasses (P<.05 differences in lean-color score and shear force value) than for sides (no significant differences). Stimulation for 2 min, rather than for 1 min, did not affect (P>.05) carcass characteristics or shear force value at either voltage (150 or 550 volts). ES can be performed on mature beef carcasses with expectations in terms of improved quality and increased tenderness proportionately similar to those achieved in electrical stimulation of young beef carcasses.

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