Certain aspects of carcass and meat quality characteristics of swamp buffaloes of Assam

Abstract

The swamp buffaloes of Assam play an important role in the socio-economic as newlinewell as socio-cultural life of the people of Assam. Swamp buffaloes are poor in milk newlineproduction but yield excellent source of meat. newlineIt is widely recognized that meat is an excellent source of good quality protein newlineprovides all essential amino acids and several micro-nutrients in proper proportion to newlinesupport human health. As some people have wrong conception towards the consumption newlineof red meat that it causes cardiovascular diseases, but in present day situation the best newlinealternative red meat is carabeef, a rich source of hypocholesterolemic fatty acids. Buffalo newlineis the only potential animal that can boost meat industry in India. newlineA study on the carcass characteristics and meat quality traits including viz. pH, newlineWater Holding Capacity (WHC), Extract Release Volume (ERV), Drip loss, Cooking newlineloss, TBARS, Tyrosine value, Muscle fibre diameter, MFI, Hydroxyproline content, newlineProximate Composition, Texture and Colour profile analysis along with organoleptic, newlineshelf-life and microbial qualities of meat of swamp buffaloes of the age groups 2-4 years newlineand above 4 years of either sexes were carried out. Twenty buffaloes were slaughtered in newlineservice type of slaughterhouses. Their live weight, carcass weight, dressing percentage, newlinecarcass length, loin eye area, weight of different wholesale cuts and by-products were newlinerecorded. The physico-chemical qualities were assessed on 1st, 2nd, 4th and 6th day. The newlinerepresentative meat samples (L. dorsi) were kept at refrigerated temperature (4 ± 1°C) up newlineto 6th day for quality assessment. newlineSignificant (P lt 0.01) and progressive increase in live weight, carcass weight, newlinecarcass length, loin eye area and dressing percentages were recorded along with increase newlinein age and irrespective of sexes although these were recorded more pronounced in male newlinethan female. A progressive increase in by-products yields were recorded as age advanced newlineand were found to be more in female than in male. The weight of fore quarter was more newlinethan the hind