the aim of this study was to determine the effect of sex and age at slaughter on the physicochemical properties and quality of Simmental baby-beef. the research was conducted on 1,200 livestock, of which 600 were male and 600 female. Male cattle were slaughtered at the age of 13 to 14 months, 15 to 16 months and 17 to 18 months, while female cattle were slaughtered at the age of 12 to 13 months, 14 to 15 months and 16 to 17 months. Physicochemical properties associated with the quality of meat (ph, eC and meat colour parameters) were measured 24 hours post mortem on the m. longissimus dorsi. While sex significantly influenced the physicochemical properties associated with the quality of baby-beef (P<0.001), different age at slaughter had little effect on the physicochemical properties associated with the quality of meat (P>0.05), thus indicating the possibility of increasing the slaughter age of male and female Simmental cattle up to 18 and 17 months respectively, without a substantial negative impact on the physicochemical properties associated with the quality of baby-beef.

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of season and transport time on beef quality. The study was conducted during 12 months of 2009 on 480 bulls and 480 heifers of Simmental breed. The cattle were divided into 2 transport groups and then into 4 season groups according to the journey. Quality indicators pH, electrical conductivity (EC) and meat colour values were measured 24 h post mortem on m. longissimus dorsi. Heifer beef compared to bull beef had better values of quality indicators (P<0.05). Differences in quality indicators were found between cattle slaughtered in the spring and summer seasons and between cattle slaughtered in the autumn and summer seasons (P<0.05). Bull beef had poorer colour, pH and EC values in the summer and winter seasons compared to the spring season, whereas heifer beef had poorer pH, EC and colour values in the summer period compared to other seasons (P<0.05). In the summer season, poorer pH, EC and colour (L* and h*) values were obtained in groups of heifers transported for a longer time compared to heifers transported for a shorter time (P<0.05). In groups of bulls transported for a shorter time during the winter period poorer pH, EC and colour values were obtained (P<0.05). This study suggests that the quality of Simmental beef was associated with the season and that environmental factors should be considered when deciding about the time of cattle transport, since this can reduce beef colour in a very short period of time.

Cilj ovog rada bio je utvrditi fizikalno kemijska svojstva kakvoće mesa Zagorskog purana uzgojenog u polu-intenzivnom sustavu tova. Istraživanje je provedeno na 40 jedinki od kojih je 10 bilo svijetlog soja (5 muških i 5 ženskih), 10 sivog soja (5 muških i 5 ženskih), 10 crnog soja (5 muških i 5 ženskih) i 10 brončanog soja (5 muških i 5 ženskih). Soj nije imao značajan utjecaj (P&gt;0,05), za razliku od spola koji je imao značajan utjecaj na fizikalno kemijske parametre kakvoće mesa (P&lt;0,001). Značajno veća vrijednost parametra a* je utvrđena kod purana, dok je značajno veća vrijednost parametra b* utvrđena kod purica (P&lt;0,05).

U radu je istraživan učinak hrane obogaćene glinom ("GMO free", Fanon d.o.o.) na količinu i kakvoću mesa kopuna. Rezultati istraživanja ukazuju na visok randman i visok udio najvrjednijih dijelova trupa (prsa, batak, zabatak). Kemijskom analizom utvrđen je u uzorcima mesa kopuna udio vode od 71,94%, bjelančevina 19,76%, masti 6,67% i pepela 1,20%, dok su najzastupljenije masne kiseline bile oleinska (40,74%), palmitinska (30,15%) i stearinska (11,30%).