Study of consumer sensory evaluation between once-calved and non-calved crossbred heifers

The aim of this study was to evaluate the flavor, tenderness, juiciness and overall liking of once-calved and non-calved crossbred heifers served as roast beef cooked by the vacuum packed pouch, low-temperature method. The starting age of fattening for the once-calved crossbred heifers (ONCE) was 25 months of age through the pregnancy period. After 10 month of fattening period, calves were slaughtered at an average 35 months of age. The non-calved crossbred heifers (NON) that could not be pregnant were slaughtered at 32 months of age after 9 or more months fattening period. The consumer sensory evaluation was carried out using five sets of ONCE and NON by two-sample preference test (total 10 carcasses). Level of meat quality of each two-sample set was uniformed in the sample selection. Flavor, tenderness, juiciness and overall liking were evaluated by the consumers in 8 point scale (−4 : extremely good in NON,…, +4 : extremely good in ONCE). All carcass grading and image analysis traits revealed no significant difference between ONCE and NON (P > 0.05). ONCE had a significantly higher value in all traits of flavor, tenderness, juiciness and overall liking than NON (P < 0.01).