ABSTRACT
The cattle industry has been sidetracked by attempting to supply a consumer preference for lean beef and is at a disadvantage due to long generation intervals of cattle. Beef from an animal that has been grain-fed for 90 days or longer is tender as well as more flavorful; fortunately, most of the beef in meat counters of the nation meet the criteria. Research also shows that certain breeds have a heavier connective tissue within their muscle structure that causes beef from the animals to be less tender. An electrical current is passed through the carcass immediately after slaughter, causing marked contraction of the muscles. These contractions of the hot muscles deplete the muscle cell of the energy that it has stored as glycogen and results in the production of lactic acid. Removal of the muscle groups from the skeleton prior to chilling, a process known as hot boning, allows for significant improvements in efficiency.
