Comparison of slaughter performances and meat qualities of Honghe yellow cattle at different ages

We examined differences in slaughter performance and meat quality of Honghe yellow cattle of different ages. We randomly selected nine Honghe bulls for slaughter at 12 (12M), 36 (36M), and 60 (60M) months of age. There were significant differences in antemortem live weight, carcass weight, and net weight among the three groups, all of which increased with age. Backfat thickness in 36M (4.77 +/- 0.25 mm) and 60M (5.50 +/- 0.50 mm) was significantly higher than in 12M (3.00 +/- 0.00 mm), and the loin-eye area in 60M (68.02 +/- 16.02) was higher than in 12M (27.01 +/- 1.89). There was no significant difference in the pH value of the month-old group. Compared with 12M (29.33 +/- 4.93%) and 60M (23.87 +/- 5.08%), the cooking loss of meat in 36M (36.50 +/- 5.07%) was significantly higher; meanwhile, a* value was also the highest in 36M (22.39 +/- 1.34), the protein and fat content of muscle in 12M was lower, while the content of meat in 60M was lower. There was no significant difference in muscle ash, Ca, and P contents; the total amino acid and essential amino acid contents of 36M were higher than those of 12M and 60M, and the unsaturated fatty acids of meat in 12M were higher than those in 36M and 60M. The change of age has a certain influence on the slaughter performance and meat quality of Honghe yellow cattle.