Nutrient and Tenderness Differences of Beef from Heifers Due to Mutation of the Myostatin Genehypothesized

Authors

Michelle E. Semler, University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Chris R. Calkins, University of Nebraska–LincolnFollow
Galen E. Erickson Erickson, University of Nebraska–LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

2014

Citation

2014 Nebraska Beef Cattle Report, UNL Extension MP99, pp. 119-120.

Comments

Copyright © 2014 University of Nebraska.

Abstract

Strip loins and eye of rounds were obtained from heifers genotyped with variations of the myostatin gene; 19 homozygous dominant (Angus), 20 heterozygous dominant (Angus x Piedmontese), and 20 homozygous recessive (Piedmontese). Steaks were aged for 14 days, cooked fresh (never frozen), and nutrient steaks were frozen three days postmortem. Meat from homozygous recessive heifers was equal in tenderness to homozygous dominant and heterozygous dominant heifers. Fat content of meat from homozygous recessive heifers decreased while moisture and protein increased compared to homozygous dominant and heterozygous dominant. Calorie content decreased with increasing copies of the recessive gene. Thus, meat from the homozygous recessive cattle was leaner, yet equal in tenderness, to the meat from homozygous dominant cattle.