LPT 321: Meat Science (1+1)

Differentitation of Carcasses of Food Animals

DIFFERENTIATION OF CARCASSES OF ANIMALS

Differentiation of carcasses of horse and ox

• Carcass of the horse and ox may be differentiated by the following details
  • In the horse the unusual length of the sides is noticeable, together with the great muscular development of the hindquarters.
  • The thoracic cavity is longer in the horse; this animal possesses 18 pairs of ribs, whereas the ox has 13 pairs.
  • The ribs in the horse are narrower but more markedly curved.
  • The superior spinous processes of the first six dorsal vertebrae are more markedly developed in the horse and are less inclined posterior.
  • In the forequarter, the ulna of horse extends only half the length of the radius; in the ox it is extended and articulates with the carpus.
  • In the hindquarter, the femur of the ox possesses no third trochanter; the fibula is only a small pointed projection, but in the horse it extends two–third the length of the tibia.
  • In the horse the last three lumbar transverse processes articulate with each other, the sixth articulating in a similar manner with the sacrum.
  • They do not articulate in the ox.
  • The horse carcass shows considerable development of soft yellow fat beneath the peritoneum, especially in the gelding and mare, but in the stallion the fat is generally of a lighter colour and almost white. In the ox the kidney fat is always firmer, whiter and more abundant than in the horse.
  • Horseflesh is a dark red, initially brown or reddish brown on exposure to atmosphere the colour turns bluish.
  • Marbling is absent in horsemeat; it is firm but sticky in nature due to high glycogen content.
  • Horsemeat has a pronounced sweet taste, repulsive odour and well defined muscle fibre.
  • Beef lack the bluish tinge.

Differentiation of carcasses of sheep and goat

Features	Sheep	Goat
Back and withers	Round and well fleshed	Sharp, little fleshed
Thorax	Barrel shaped	Flattened laterally
Tail	Fairly broad	Thin
Radius	1.25 times length of metacarpus	Twice as long as metacarpus
Scapula	Short an broad, superior spine, bent back and thickened	Possess distinct neck. Spine straight and narrow, lateral border thin and sharp
Sacrum	Lateral borders thickened in the form of rolls	Sharp
Flesh	Pale red and fine in texture	Dark red and coarse with goaty odour. Sticky subcutaneous tissue, which may have adherent goat hairs.

Sheep, Goat and Deer

• Among these carcasses, in deer, the scapula’s acromion is elongated into a sharp point, which is directed ventrally.
• The acromion is absent in the sheep and goat or is considerably smaller.
• The radio-ulna arch, which forms an oval opening in the sheep and goat, is very long in deer.
• In deer, the subcutaneous layer of fat is not as well developed as in sheep.
• The meat is poor in fat and possesses the odour of venison, which is easily distinguishable from the odour of sheep.

Hog and Dog

• The colour of dog meat is very darker than pork and is easily made out in cooked meat.
• The muscles of the dog are searier and the fat is oilier than hog fat.
• The odour of the dog meat is repulsive.

Cat and Rabbit

• The meat of the cat is paler than rabbit meat.
• The fat of the cat appears whitish in contrast to rabbit fat, which is honey yellow.

Meat and Fat of Sheep and Dog

• The meat and fat of sheep and dog are indistinguishable by the naked eye and the carcasses of large dogs are sometimes substituted for mutton.
• The ribs and sternum of the sheep are broad and flat, while those of the dogs are round in section.
• In the hind leg, the sheep has only one bone, the tibia articulating with the tarsal joint, while the dog has both tibia and fibula.
• The sheep has triangular scapula with a broad, prolonging cartilage and the radius and ulna lies close together for their whole length, while the scapula of the dog has a semi-circular posterior upper edge with practically no prolonging cartilage and the radius and ulna are widely separated along the greater part of their shafts.
• The xiphoid cartilage in sheep is firm and grisly, while in the dog, it is softer and florous and shaped like a dagger.

Cattle and Buffalo

• Generally fresh buffalo meat is darker (more reddish brown) and the fibres are coarser and looser in structure than beef.
• The odour of the buffalo meat and fat are always strikingly musky and if boiled in strong acidified (H₂SO₄) water, it develops a disagreeable odour similar to that of cattle manure.
• The cutaneous shoulder muscle of buffalo is only 3 to 4 finger broad, while that of cattle it is considerably broader.
• The fat of buffalo is strikingly white and drier and less sticky than in cattle.
• The confirmation of the bones of the buffalo is generally thinner and the bones are very brittle.
• The ischio pubic symphysis of the buffalo is strikingly plane.