TITLE:
Eating Quality of Beef from Arsi, Borana, and Harar Cattle Breed, Oromia National Regional State, Ethiopia
AUTHORS:
Timketa Dagne Tefera, Yesihak Yusuf Mummed, Mohammed Yusuf Kurtu, Mengistu Urge Leta, Travis Gene O’Quinn, Jessie L. Vipham
KEYWORDS:
Beef, Tenderness, Juiciness, Flavor, Color
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Animal Sciences,
Vol.11 No.2,
April
28,
2021
ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to evaluate the eating
qualities of Arsi, Borana, and Harar Cattle breeds in Ethiopia. A total of 39 bulls
with age categories of - 6, and 7 - 9 years were used for the study. The bulls were purchased
from mixed crop-livestock
systems (Arsi and
Harar) and Ranch (Borana) and slaughtered to evaluate the eating quality. WBSF device was used to evaluate instrumental
tenderness while sensory panel testing was used to evaluate sensory tenderness,
juiciness and flavor. The color of the meat was evaluated using Hunter Lab Mini
Scan EZ while water holding capacity was evaluated using filter papers. A complete
randomized design was used for the study. Breed significantly affected (P 0.0001) instrumental tenderness
with beef from Harar and Boran bulls were very tender (18.55 ± 5.34, 20.34 ± 4.06N, respectively) while beef from Arsi bulls intermediate
in tenderness (40.60 ± 0.51N).
Beef from all age group of Harar and Boran breeds were very tender while beef from the Arsi breed was very tender for age 3 years,
intermediate for 4 - 6 and tough for age group > 7 years of age. Flavor and juiciness was significantly (P 0.05) affected by breed. Flavor from Harar and Boran breeds were moderately liked while flavor from Arsi was liked slightly. Beef
from Boran breed was ranked juicier than beef from Harar and Arsi breed. Borana
( 0.05) in
lightness (L*) than Arsi and Harar indicating more quality beef from Borana breed.
From the study it was concluded that Arsi bulls older than four years of age produced
tougher beef suggesting the use of this breed for beef at early age while beef from
Borana and Harar breed can be used to 9 years
of age as they produce very tender meat.