Assessments of the Slaughter Characteristics and Meat Quality of Different Cattle Strains Finished on Three Dietary Treatments

A study was conducted at Kongwa Ranch to examine the effects of three diets and two cattle strains of Tanzanian Short Horn Zebu (Iringa red and Singida White) and Boran breed as a control breed. A total of forty-five bulls (15 Boran, 15 Iringa red and 15 Singida white) were confined in a feedlot and supplied with three (3) diets (D1, D2 and D3) formulated for finishing cattle using energy based feedstuffs obtained from locally available feed materials. The diets were fed to the three that groups of bulls for 80 days, and thereafter slaughtered. After evisceration, the carcasss and non-carcass components, that are head, skin, tail, feet, tail and testis were weighed. A sample of longissimus dorsi muscle (LD muscle) was removed from the left side of each carcass along the 6-13th ribs and the 6th rib joint was removed from the right side of each carcass. The samples were taken to laboratory for assessments of carcass composition and meat quality. The results showed that the highest values of non-carcass components, such as weights (kg) of head (13.4), pluck (5.20), feet (5.73), testis (0.76) and penis (1.2) were observed on Boran bulls, though not different (P>0.05) from those of Irringa Red strain [head (12.85), pluck (4.64), eet (5.63), testis (0.780) and penis (1.12)]. The mean values of pH (5.24) and tenderness (64.7N/cm2) were lowest in the Boran followed by Iringa Red bulls [pH (5.26) and tenderness (74.05N/cm2)] compared to those of Singida White [pH (5.32) and tenderness (75.5N/cm2)], however these values were not different (P>0.05). Significant interaction effects between diets and strains were observed on the fat weight and proportion of fat, that the Iringa Red bulls when fed on diet D1 the fat increased above that of Boran and Singida White, while when fed with D3 the weight of fat decrease below that of Boran and Singida strains, The right proportion of fat observed when fed on diet D2. In conclusion, the Iringa Red cattle strain finished in feedlot using diet D2 produced heavy carcasses with right proportions of edible meat and quality attributes matched well with those of Boran. Stakeholders of beef cattle are advised to opt for Diet D2 for finishing the Iringa Red strain in feedlot for enhancing productivity and quality of beef in the sector. Further studies are needed in screening more locally available feed resources to develop formulations for finishing different strains of the TSHZ cattle to increase the demanded prime beef in the country.