Muscle biochemistry, meat tenderness and improvement of zebu cattle breeds

Abstract

Low tenderness of the meat of zebu cattle restricts its access to important markets. This characteristic is attributed to a higher muscular activity of calpastatin in zebu meat than in taurine meat. This protein interferes with the process of postmortem proteolysis, thus damaging the process of meat tenderness. There are biochemical differences between the types of fibers comprising 95% of muscle mass. The percentage composition of muscle oxidative and glycolytic fibers influences meat quality and explains the variation. Technological innovations contribute to improving the quality of the meat; and knowing muscle typology of zebu cattle is essential to understanding the reasons for its “toughness”. Incentives to produce quality beef from zebu cattle contribute to the improvement of beef cattle and to the development of beef cattle production in Brazil. Insufficient number of Brazilian farms licensed to export quality meat to Europe results in incomplete fulfillment of the trade agreement through Hilton quota (10,000 metric tons/year), and is the result of a lack of interest of producers in paying for the traceability costs. A marketing alliance involving representatives of ministries, industry and producers could contribute to the improvement of business relationships within the commodity chain, could license additional farms for export, and encourage the improvement of zebu breeds.