China Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Medicine ›› 2025, Vol. 52 ›› Issue (8): 3630-3641.doi: 10.16431/j.cnki.1671-7236.2025.08.012

• Nutrition and Feed • Previous Articles    

Comparative Analysis of Meat Quality and Blood Physiological and Biochemical Indices Between Healthy and Fattening Culled Cattle

WANG Wenjing1, CHEN Lei1, YAN Xiangmin2, MA Zhen2, WANG Xiao3, CHEN Wenzhong2, SU Nan2, ZHANG Yuxia2, LIU Meng2, CHEN Sumei2, WANG Sihan2   

  1. 1. College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832003, China;
    2. Xinjiang Academy of Animal Science, Urumqi 830011, China;
    3. Xinjiang Yili Vocational and Technical School, Yili 835000, China
  • Received:2025-01-02 Published:2025-08-02

Abstract: 【Objective】 This study was aimed to compare and analyze the differences in meat quality and blood physiological-biochemical indices between healthy and fattening culled cattle,providing a scientific basis for improving health management and meat quality optimization in fattening cattle. 【Method】 Forty healthy cattle and 40 fattening culled cattle were selected.Blood samples were collected before slaughter to measure physiological and biochemical indices.After slaughter,the samples of longissimus dorsi muscle between the 11th and 13th ribs of the left carcass were collected to determine meat quality indices,including color (L*,a* and b* values),pH,cooking loss rate,shear force,pressed water loss rate,and texture. 【Result】 Compared with fattening culled cattle,healthy cattle exhibited significantly lower pH and cooking loss rate (P<0.05),but significantly higher L* and b* values (P<0.05).For blood physiological indices,healthy cattle showed significantly higher levels of red blood cell count (RBC),hemoglobin (HGB),hematocrit (HCT),eosinophils (EOS),platelet count (PLT),and plateletcrit (PCT) (P<0.05).Regarding blood biochemical indices,healthy cattle had significantly higher levels of albumin (ALB),total protein (TP),glucose (GLU),calcium (Ca),total cholesterol (TC),and urea (UREA) (P<0.05).Correlation analysis revealed that pH of beef in healthy cattle was extremely significantly positively correlated with TP level in blood (P<0.01),and extremely significantly or significantly negatively correlated with TC and PCT levels (P<0.01 or P<0.05).Shear force was negatively significantly correlated with TC level (P<0.05).In contrast,b* value of beef in fattening culled cattle was positively correlated with GLU level in blood,pressed water loss rate showed a positive correlation with ALB level in blood,cooking loss was negatively correlated with monocytes,and pressed water loss rate was negatively correlated with PCT in blood. 【Conclusion】 Fattening culled cattle generally exhibited lower blood indices (such as hemoglobin,calcium,and glucose) and meat quality parameters (such as pH and cooking loss rate) compared with healthy cattle.Significant correlations were identified between blood indices and meat quality,providing a reference for optimizing meat quality in fattening cattle.

Key words: fattening culled cattle; blood physiological and biochemical indices; meat quality; correlation

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