Effect of the genetic group, production system and sex on the meat quality and sensory traits of beef from crossbred animals.

The crossbreeding of two or more breeds from the Bos taurus and Bos indicus species is an alternative for obtaining high-quality meat from animals adapted to tropical climates. Quality and sensory attributes of beef, mainly its tenderness and flavour, are very important with regard to the consumer's point of view. This study aimed to evaluate the physico-chemical and sensory characteristics of crossbred young bulls and heifers, the offspring of Angus or Limousin bulls and 1/2 Angus + 1/2 Nellore or 1/2 Simental + 1/2 Nellore cows that were finished on feedlot or pasture. Meat quality traits (pH, colour, cooking loss, water holding capacity and shear force) and sensory parameters (characteristic beef aroma/flavour intensity, strange aroma/flavour intensity, tenderness and juiciness descriptive attributes, flavour, texture (tenderness) and overall acceptance) were evaluated. The genetic group had an effect on the beef pH, but it was not as relevant as the effect of the combination between the production system and the sex or genetic group, which affected many of the quality and sensory traits.

O uso de ducha: efeito sobre o bem-estar e a qualidade da carcaça e da carne em suínos transportados para o abate / Use of shower: the effect on welfare and carcass and meat quality of pigs transported to slaughter

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar os efeitos do uso da ducha de água, antes e após o transporte, sobre o bem-estar dos animais e a qualidade da carne dos suínos. Foram utilizados 384 animais (fêmeas e machos castrados), frutos de cruzamento industrial e provenientes de 16 granjas de Santa Catarina/Brasil. O delineamento experimental foi em um fatorial 2x4, com duas distâncias da granja até o frigorífico (menos de 50km; mais de 50km) e quatro protocolos de ducha, que consistiram em: suínos não molhados na granja e no frigorífico (NMG_NMF); não molhados na granja e molhados no frigorífico (NMG_MOF); molhados na granja e não molhados no frigorífico (MOG_NMF); molhados na granja e molhados no frigorífico (MOG_MOF). Nenhum dos fatores teve influência (P>0,05) sobre as variáveis fisiológicas relacionadas ao estresse (cortisol e lactato sanguíneo), ao número de lesões na carcaça e às características de qualidade da carne.(AU)

This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of a shower before and after pig transportation on welfare, meat and carcass quality. We used 384 crossbreeding animals (females and castrated males), from 16 farms in Santa Catarina State, Brazil. A 2x4 factorial arrangement of treatments was employed with two distances from farm to slaughter plant (less than 50km and more than 50km) and four showering protocols. These protocols were applied on pigs: no showering at farm or slaughter plant (Control), no showering at farm but showering at the plant (NMG_MOF); showering at the farm and no showering at the plant (MOG_NMF); showering at the farm and plant (MOG_MOF). None of the factors influenced (P>0.05) physiological variables related to stress (cortisol and lactate in blood samples), number of carcass lesions and the characteristics of meat quality.(AU)