Carcass Traits and Meat Quality Property of Fattened Bulls in Different Xinjiang Brown Cattle Beef-Types

Description

ABSTRACT Background: Xinjiang brown cattle (XBC) is an important dual-purpose cattle breed in Xinjiang，China. However, the carcass traits, meat quality and muscle fibre properties of XBC-beef type I, Type II and type III remain poorly understood. Methods: Twenty-four bulls (24 ± 3 months) were allocated to four groups (6 bulls in each group), i.e., XBC as the control, XBC-Beef Type I, Type II, and Type III, their carcass traits, meat quality, and muscle fibre histology after 180 days of finishing were evaluated under identical feeding regime and condition. Results:Relative to the control, Type III exhibited greater body diagonal length, chest girth, and cannon girth (P < 0.05), while Type I–III showed heavier body and carcass weights (P < 0.01). Loin-eye area was larger in Type III (P < 0.05). Type III had higher intramuscular fat content across all three muscles (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), lower shear force (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), and elevated water-holding capacity in supraspinatus and longissimus thoracis (P < 0.05). Cooking loss was reduced in supraspinatus and longissimus thoracis (P < 0.05), with improved meat colour in Type III (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Histologically, Type III displayed smaller fibre diameters (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01) and a shift toward oxidative phenotypes—higher Type I and IIa proportions in supraspinatus and semitendinosus, and selective IIa increase in longissimus thoracis (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Conclusions: Progressive Canadian Braunvieh introgression improved growth, carcass traits, and meat quality in Xinjiang Brown cattle, with Type III exhibiting the most pronounced enhancements in body size, carcass weight, intramuscular fat, tenderness, and meat colour, alongside smaller fibre diameters and a shift toward oxidative fibre phenotypes. These findings indicate that Type III can serve as a valuable reference for meat quality traits in the breeding of specialized Xinjiang Brown cattle beef-types. Keywords: Xinjiang Brown cattle; meat quality; intramuscular fat; tenderness; muscle fibre characteristics

Institutions

• Xinjiang Agricultural University

  Xinjiang, Ürümqi

Categories

Funders

• Science and Technology Department of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region

  Ürümqi

  Grant ID: 2022A02001

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