Carcass characteristics of male buffalo calf and meat quality of its veal

Abstract

Buffalo calf is rarely used as meat animal and is being explored here for its carcass and meat quality. The carcass traits revealed that the calf slaughtered was having the dressing per cent, carcass length, loin eye area and fat thickness as 47.63 %, 101.67 cm, 37.00 cm² and 1.20 mm respectively. Among the byproducts the gastrointestinal tract, skin and head were the major contributors with 26.42, 9.74 and 4.96 % of live weight of animal. The chuck and round were the major cuts obtained from fore and hind quarter, contributing to 27.17 and 25.84 % respectively of dressed carcass weight. The analysis of buffalo veal revealed that the moisture, protein, fat and ash were 76.64, 19.76, 1.02 and 1.23 % respectively. The muscle fiber diameter and sarcomere length observed, had the values of 32.41 µm and 1.76 µm respectively. The texture profile and sensory evaluation of buffalo veal product and its comparison with chevon revealed its sensory acceptability.