Effect of High Temperature Conditioning on Beef from Grass or Grain Fed Cattle

Hereford by Angus heifers (n = 24) were fed grass or grain diets and slaughtered at 22 mo of age. The left side was chilled for 48 hr at 1°C while the right side was high temperature conditioned at 12 or 26°C for 3 hr and subsequently moved to the 1°C cooler. Meat from grass-fed heifers was darker in color, leaner and tended to be less tender than meat from gram-fed heifers. High temperature conditioning had no effect on carcass characteristics or cooked meat sensory attributes. Meat from the longissimus muscle was more tender and juicy than meat from the semitendinosus or semimembranosus.