Effect of pre-slaughter housing of different cattle categories on beef quality

The aim of the study was to determine optimal pre-slaughter handling procedures (individual or group housing) for various slaughter cattle categories. Subjects were 842 Black-and-White Polish Holstein-Friesian slaughter cattle, classified into four EUROP categories - bulls up to 24 months of age (A), bulls older than 24 months (B), cows which had had offspring before (D), and heifers (E). Slaughter value, colour and pH characteristics of beef from these cattle categories were studied. Housing method had no significant effect on carcass composition. The pH(48) of meat from group-housed young bulls (A) and older bulls (B) was higher and the colour parameters were significantly lower compared to meat from individually housed animals of the two categories. No effect of pre-slaughter housing on the pH(48) and colour parameters of meat was found for cows (D) and heifers (E). Abnormally high pH (> 5.8) was much more frequent (over 63%) for meat from group-housed A and B animals than for meat from individually-housed animals (about 30%). Correlation coefficients show that pH(48) was negatively correlated at P <= 0.001 with colour coordinates L*, a*, b* and C* (-0.39, -0.24, -0.22 and -0.25, respectively). It can be concluded that conditions of pre-slaughter housing of cattle in the slaughterhouse significantly affected the quality traits of beef obtained from young bulls (A) and bulls (B). Hence, the pre-slaughter handling should be differentiated according to the sex of animals - it may be more economically justified, despite higher cost, to keep males individually while heifers and cows in groups, prior to slaughter.