@conference {40957,
	title = {Sources of variation in the ultimate pH of M. longissimus from prime steers.},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {57},
	year = {1997},
	month = {Jan},
	pages = {271-274},
	publisher = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	organization = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	abstract = {The ultimate pH (pHult) of beef is an important quality determinant, that can be affected by pre-slaughter muscle glycogen concentrations. The two trials reported here evaluated relationships between pre-slaughter conditions and behaviour of mobs ofsteers processed at Manawatu Beef Packers Limited and the subsequent incidence of high-pH beef. Trial 1 involved 405 2- and 3-year steers in 12 mobs, with a mean ({\textpm}sd) carcass weight of 341.2 ({\textpm}28.2)kg. Cattle were held for either c. 3h prior to slaughter (1/2of each mob) or c. 27h. Mean carcass weight was lower for the 27h-mobs (P < 0.01), but the extra 24h holding time had no effect on mean pHult , bruising score, carcass fat depth, or meat colour. The percentage of carcasses with a pHult> 6.0 varied from 0 to 27\%, but was not closely related to any of the pre-slaughter conditions monitored (eg. feeding levels, conditions during yarding, loading and transport,weather conditions, and conditions at the plant).},
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Purchas RW and Keohane BE}
}
