Carcass traits and consumer acceptability of striploin steaks from band-castrated, intratesticular zinc-injected, or sexually intact beef cattle.

One hundred and eighty beef bulls (BW = 337 ± 10.9 kg) were blocked by BW (6 blocks) and assigned randomly to one of three treatments on day 0: 1) INJ; received 1 mL (100 mg Zn) of a Zn solution in each testis, 2) BAN; received blood-restrictive rubber band placed upon the dorsal aspect of the scrotum, and 3) BUL; bulls with testicles remaining intact. Cattle were grouped by weight block in a randomized complete block design (three treatment pens/block and 10 cattle/pen) and harvested by block on three separate dates when blocks reached similar BW and visual subcutaneous fat thickness depth. Striploins were removed from the left carcass sides, vacuum packaged and aged for 14 d, and then frozen at -20 °C. Frozen striploins were sliced into 2.54-cm-thick steaks and remained frozen until analyses. Steaks (n = 3/animal) were used to assess consumer acceptability via consumer taste panel (n = 152 panelists), Warner-Bratzler shear force, percentage cook loss, and cooked color values. Data were analyzed using mixed model procedures; pen was the experimental unit for all dependent variables. Hot carcass weights and LM area were greater (P < 0.01) for the INJ and BUL treatments compared with BAN. Mean yield grade did not differ between treatments (P = 0.12), although BAN carcasses had smaller LM area (P < 0.01) than BUL or INJ carcasses. Percentage of USDA Choice or better carcasses was greater (P < 0.01) for BAN than INJ and BUL treatments. Consumer panelists detected a difference in perceived tenderness; BAN steaks had greater (P = 0.02) tenderness scores than BUL steaks, whereas INJ steaks were intermediate. Panelists rated juiciness of BAN steaks greater (P < 0.01) than either BUL or INJ steaks. Panelists rated beef flavor greater (P = 0.01) for BAN and BUL steaks than INJ steaks. Overall acceptability was greater (P < 0.01) for BAN compared with INJ steaks, whereas BUL steaks were intermediate. Percentage cook loss of striploin steaks (P = 0.47) and Warner-Bratzler shear force values (P = 0.11) did not differ. Cooked color lightness (L*) and redness (a*) values were not affected (P ≥ 0.23) by treatment. Striploin steaks from BAN and BUL treatments had greater (P = 0.02) yellowness values (b*) than INJ steaks. The ratio of red-to-brown (630:580 nm) of cooked striploin steaks was greater (P = 0.05) for INJ than either BAN or BUL treatments. Carcass and palatability outcomes of INJ were more similar to BUL than BAN, suggesting limited efficacy of INJ in mature beef bulls at feedlot entry.