Table 6.
Effect of age on ultimate pH, colour of meat and the activity of creatine kinase from cattle slaughtered at the abattoir (±SEM)
| Parameters | Age | ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
| |||
| 16 months | 18 months | 24 months | |
| N | 120 | 87 | 114 |
| CK (U/L) | 636.9±76.83b | 729.6±89.75a | 524.1±0.63c |
| pHu | 6.1±0.05a | 6.1±0.06a | 6.1±0.05a |
| L* | 25.2±0.71a | 26.6±0.83a | 20.9±0.73b |
| a* | 17.9±0.53a | 17.7±0.62a | 12.9±0.54b |
| b* | 12.9±0.49a | 11.5±0.58b | 9.3±0.51c |
a,b,c
Means in the same row with different superscripts are significantly different at * p<0.05.
pHu = ultimate pH.
L* = Lightness. a* = Redness. b* = Yellowness.
CK = Creatine kinase. U/L = Units per litre.