Specific features of muscles and meat from ‘AOC’ guaranteed-origin Taureau de Camargue beef cattle

The French AOC Taureau de Camargue guaranteed-origin breed certification was obtained in 1996. This denomination covers two local breeds, di Biou and Brave, and crossbreeds between them. On average, 2000 head of these beef cattle are raised every year, yielding 300 tons of meat. Little research has been done on these breeds, especially on meat quality. The aim of the work reported here was to characterise the muscles of these animals. Two muscles, semitendinosus and triceps brachii, were taken on slaughter from 10 males and 10 females from each of the two breeds. Colour, contractile and metabolic properties, intramuscular lipid contents and fatty acid composition were recorded for each sample. The results obtained highlight special features of the muscles of Taureau de Camargue cattle. Compared with all other French beef breeds, these muscles have a strongly oxidative metabolism, associated with a dark red colour and a very low proportion of IIx fast glycolytic fibers. They also contain very low levels of intramuscular lipids. Analysis of fatty acid composition revealed a particularly favourable dietary profile, with 15–20% polyunsaturated fatty acids and about 10% C18:3 fatty acids. We noted a darkening of the meat in both muscles from both breeds, and a strong propensity for myoglobin oxidation.