• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.12
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• pp.1775-1779
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• 2012

The aim of the present work was to investigate how colour changes of foal meat can vary after thawing out in relation to the slaughtering age of the horses and to the post-thawing time. Eighteen Italian Heavy Draught Horse (IHDH) foals were used for the trial. They were subdivided in three groups according to their slaughtering age (6, 11 and 18 months). Two different surfaces were investigated for each sample: a fresh cut surface (daily renewed cutting surface: DRCS), and not-renewed cutting surface (NRCS). The redness of both investigated surfaces increased with slaughtering age (p<0.01). Moreover, this parameter decreased during post-thawing time (p<0.01) only on the NRCS, probably due to the myoglobin oxidation processes. Colour is an important visual cue denoting perceived quality by consumers. So, by a chromatic perspective the thawed meat of IHDH foals slaughtered at 6 and 11 months proved to be that which best meets the market requirements.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.11
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• pp.1637-1643
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• 2013

The present work describes the effect of slaughtering age on horse carcass traits and on meat quality. Eighteen male Italian heavy draught horse (IHDH) breed foals were employed in the study. Soon after foaling they were randomly subdivided in 3 groups according to 3 age at slaughtering classes: 6 months old, 11 months old and 18 months old. Live weight, hot carcass weight and dressing percentage of each animal were recorded. After slaughtering, meat samples were collected from Longissimus Dorsi muscle between 13th and 18th thoracic vertebra of each animal and then analyzed. The right half carcass of each animal was then divided in cuts. Each one was subdivided into lean, fat and bones. Then, the classification of the lean meat in first and second quality cuts was performed according to the butchers' customs. Older animals were characterized by a lower incidence of first quality cuts (p<0.01) on carcass. Younger animals showed greater content in protein (p<0.01). Fatty acid profile showed an increasing trend of PUFA connected to the increasing of slaughtering age (p<0.05). The unsaturation index of intramuscular fatty acids was not affected by slaughtering age, confirming that horse meat, if compared to beef, is more suitable from a nutritional point of view. Season influenced reproduction, birth as well as production aspects of this species. The different slaughtering age could represent the way to produce meat of IHDH foals during the entire year without change in the qualitative standard expected by consumers.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.165-172
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• 2004

This study was conducted to investigate changes in physico-chemical characteristics of Hanwoo carcass according to different castration and slaughtering ages. Total 75 Hanwoo calves(average 4 months old) were randomly assigned to Control(bulIs). Treatment I. Il , III. or IV(castrated on 4. 9. 12. and 16 months of age, respectively) and slaughtered at 7. 9. 12, 16, and 28 months of age. Moisture contents in M. Longissimus dorsi of both Hanwoo bulls and steers were decreased as the slaughtering age increased. Moisture contents in all steer groups were significantly(P <0.05) lower(average 68.63%) than that in bulls(72.18%) at 28 months of age. Crude fat contents tended to increase as the slaughtering age increased. Crude fat contents in Treatment III(castrated at 12 months of age) at 28 months of age were 10.24% which was the highest among all steer groups. Crude protein contents in M. Longissimus dorsi of Hanwoo bulls were around 23% regardless of slaughtering age. Water holding capacity(WHC) of both bulls and steers tended to increase as the animals aged. Steers showed rapid increase in WHC after 16 months of age and showed higher(78.39%)) WHC than bulls(70.00%) at 28 months of age. Palmitic acid(CI8: 0) contents in Hanwoo bulls were increased as the slaughtering age increased(20.92 \longrightarrow 24.22%) whereas stearic acid(CI8: 0) contents were decreased(I8.l5 \longrightarrow11.32%). Oleic acid(CI8: I). a major unsaturated fatty acid. significantly(P <0.05) increased(25.59 \longrightarrow 37.90%) when slaughtering age of Hanwoo increased. Changes in fatty acid composition in Hanwoo steers were similar to those in bulls except oleic acid contents were higher and stearic acid contents were lower than bulls at 28 months of age.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.603-611
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• 2016

The aim of this study was to analyze the contribution factors (backfat thickness, eye muscle area, carcass weight, marbling score, and feeding period) affecting meat unit price (South-Korean Won / Kg of meat). The best slaughtering age to maximize unit price was also assumed. All data used in this study were acquired from the Korea Institute for Animal Products Quality Evaluation from 2010 to 2014. Contributions to the estimated unit price of cows by the following factors, backfat thickness, eye muscle area, carcass weights, feeding period, and marbling score were 2.65%, 0.04%, 1.58%, 1.58%, and 95.72%, respectively. Contribution to estimated unit price of steers by the same factors (backfat thickness, eye muscle area, carcass weights, feeding period, and marbling score) were 7.88%, 1.24%, 0.07%, 90.81%, and 95.72%, respectively. Slaughtering ages ranged from 26 to 36 months and the data were separated into each month for an 11 month period. The unit price of meat from Hanwoo slaughtered at 30 months was highest among groups. The lowest unit price was observed in the group belonging to the Hanwoo slaughtered at 36 months. In conclusion, of all contributing factors, marbling score affected unit price the most. Based on our results, it is recommended that the optimal slaughtering age be set at 30 months to maximize unit price. Moreover, the feeding of beef cattle past 30 months of age is not recommended because of the increase in feeding costs.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.257-265
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• 2011

The current study was conducted to compare the growth performance and physico-chemical characteristics of Hanwoo bulls and steers of different slaughtering ages. Thirty-six Hanwoo (average age, 13-mon) were allocated into either a bull or steer group (18 animals/group). Each group was sub-divided into 26-, 28-, and 30-mon-old age groups (six animals/group). Surgical castration was performed in the steer group immediately after the experimental groups were assigned. Growth performance of the animals, as well as carcass characteristics and fatty acid composition of M. longissimus dorsi were determined. Cold carcass weights increased as carcass slaughtering age increased in both Hanwoo bulls and steers (p<0.05). Backfat thickness was thickest (p<0.05) in 28-mon-old Hanwoo bulls and 30-mon-old steer, and the M. longissimus dorsi area was widest (p< 0.05) in 28-mon-old Hanwoo bulls and steers. Marbling score, cooking loss, and water holding capacity (WHC) were higher (p<0.05) in 30-mon-old Hanwoo bulls and steers as slaughtering age increased. The shear force value was highest in 30-mon-old Hanwoo bulls and 26-mon-old Hanwoo steers compared to that in other groups. The unsaturated fatty acid composition in M. longissimus dorsi was significantly (p<0.05) higher in 28- and 30-mon-old Hanwoo bulls and steers than that in other groups. The results suggest that castration, even at late stages of Hanwoo development, improved beef carcass quality grade, and that no difference in beef quality grade had occurred (marbling score and WHC) in 28- and 30-mon-old slaughtering age Hanwoo steers.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.64 no.1
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• pp.143-154
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• 2022

This study was conducted to evaluate the relationship among market weight, slaughter age, yield grade, and primal cut yield in Hanwoo. A total of 403 Hanwoo (Korean native cattle) was assessed for carcass traits such as carcass cold weight, backfat thickness, ribeye area, dressing percentage, yield index, and marbling score. The production yield of the individual major primal cuts of Hanwoo beef was also measured. Carcass cold weight, ribeye area, and backfat thickness, which affect meat quality increased with increased market weight (p < 0.05). The production yield of the ten major primal cuts also increased with increased market weight (p < 0.05). In terms of slaughter age, carcass cold weight, ribeye area, and backfat thickness all increased from 25 months to 28-29 months, and the production yield of all prime cuts also increased with increasing slaughter age. According to the meat yield grade, carcass cold weight and backfat thickness increased from grade A to grade C, although the ribeye area was not affected. The combined findings of the study suggest that slaughtering Hanwoo at the weight of 651-700 kg and 701-750 and age of 28.23 and 29.83 months could be desirable to achieve the best quality and quantity grade of Hanwoo beef. However, the positive correlation of carcass cold weight and backfat thickness, and the negative correlation of the yield index according to primal cuts yield indicated that it is necessary to couple the slaughtering management of cattle with improved genetic and breeding method of Hanwoo to increase the production yield of the major prime cuts of Hanwoo beef.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.674-682
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• 2014

The objective of this study was to investigate the physico-chemical and sensory properties of loin (m. longissimus dorsi) and top round (m. semimembranosus) beef from 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12 mon-old Holstein calves. For both loin and top round muscles, the moisture contents were decreased, whereas the protein and fat contents were increased, as the slaughtering age increased. In terms of meat color, for both muscle types, CIE $L^*$ values were decreased, whereas CIE $a^*$ values and myoglobin content increased as the slaughtering age increased. pH values were significantly higher in the 3 mon-old group than in the other groups. The Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) values were lowest for loin muscles from the 12 mon-old group; however, there was no significant difference for top round muscle among the 4 age groups. Cooking loss for both loin and top round muscles were significantly higher for the 3 mon-old group than for the other groups. The water holding capacity (WHC) of both muscles were highest for the 12 mon-old groups (p<0.05). In fatty acid composition of the 12 mon-old groups, loin muscles had significantly higher levels of C14:0, C16:1n7, C18:1n9, and mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), and top round muscles had significantly higher levels of C16:1n7, C18:1n7, C18:1n9, MUFA, MUFA/SFA. Loin muscle from the 3- and 12 mon-old groups had significantly higher scores for tenderness and overall likeness. Top round muscle from the 9- and 12 mon-old groups had significantly higher scores for overall likeness than those from the other age groups.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.421-428
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• 2018

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare carcass traits, meat quality and sensory attributes in two different genotypes of geese according to age and sex. Methods: The experiment was carried out on 160 birds of two genotypes of geese: the Czech Goose (CG) breed and a Eskildsen Schwer (ES) hybrid. One-d-old goslings were divided into four groups according to genotype and sex. Two dates for slaughtering (at 8 and 16 wk of age of goslings) were undertaken. Results: The slaughter weight, cold carcass weight and dressing percentage were affected by all the studied factors, and significant interactions between age, genotype and sex were detected in the slaughter weight (p<0.001) and cold carcass weight (p = 0.004). The pH was not affected by any of studied factors, whereas in terms of meat colour parameters there were observed significant effects of age on $L^*$ and $b^*$ value and a significant effect of sex on $a^*$ value. The meat fat content was higher (p = 0.002) in ES. Higher score for overall acceptance of goose meat was recorded for ES at both ages compared to CG. Conclusion: ES had higher dressing percentage and better sensory attributes, whereas CG exceled in the favourable nutritional value of the meat.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.455-466
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• 2022

The aim of this study was to assess the occurrence of white striping (WS), wooden breast (WB), and WS combined with WS/WB muscle abnormalities in broilers (Ross 500) at different slaughter ages (34, 41, and 48 d). In addition, the influence of these muscle abnormalities at different slaughter ages on quality characteristics (physical dimensions, pH, color index, and chemical composition) was studied. Overall occurrence of muscle abnormalities was 45%, 92%, and 100% at slaughter ages of 34, 41, and 48 d, respectively. It was found that about 39% from the occurrence of muscle abnormalities was not similar in the same bird (left and right fillets). Breast fillets affected by muscle abnormalities had significantly (p<0.05) higher weight than normal fillets. At slaughter age of 34 d, normal fillets had significantly higher L^* (67.37 vs. 61.73 and 63.05, p<0.05), lower a^* (3.25 vs. 4.87 and 5.18, p<0.05) and b^* (4.02 vs. 5.20 and 5.99, p<0.05) than WS and WS combined with WB fillets; respectively. The changes in chemical composition due to muscle abnormalities were more significant at high slaughter age than at low slaughter age. In conclusion, the occurrence of muscle abnormalities was strongly influenced by slaughter age. Moreover, breast fillets affected by muscle abnormalities had different quality characteristics (proximate composition, color traits, and dimensions) in comparison to normal fillets.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.507-521
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• 2021

The livestock farmers are producing under uncertainties such as Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) and Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The purpose of this study is to strengthen the management capabilities of Hanwoo farmers to prepare them for the uncertainties just mentioned. To this end, this study was conducted to find the optimal rearing period in order to reduce the feed cost, which accounts for the largest portion of the operation cost of Hanwoo. Using the universal lattice model, 41,139 of 289,000 Hanwoo slaughter data from 2010 to 2019 were used for the FMD period and 246,605 heads for the general period. The results show that the maximum cutoff price of Hanwoo steer is 6,394,457 won at the 4th week of 27 months of age in general period, where as 6,242,752 won at the 2nd week of 26 months of age in the FMD period. Therefore, it is judged that it will be helpful for Hanwoo farms to maximize their business profits by slaughtering one month and two weeks earlier in the FMD period than in the general period. In addition, Hanwoo farmers need to break away from the conventional rearing method and improve their management efficiency through a more flexible rearing method.