Changes of Carcass Traits and Surface Meat Color of Korean Cattle (Hanwoo) Reared Different Altitudes or Transferred from Different Distance

The purposes of the study were to examine the changes in carcass traits and surface meat color, and cortisol concentration by different altitudes and shipping distances for steer and cow. The experimental animals were shipped from Kangwondo, Kyunggido, Choongchungdo, and Kyungsangdo to Wonju LPC. The animals were examined for yield traits, quality traits, carcass grade, lightness, redness, yellowness, croma value, and cortisol concentration by different altitudes and shipping distances. The results showed that the carcass traits of steer like back fat thickness were not different by shipping distances of 100 km, 150 km, and 200 km. However, the fat thickness was higher in steers shipped from 250 km than 100 km, 150 km, and 200 km distance. Ribeye area was reduced significantly in 200 km and 250 km than 50 km. Yield index and yield grade were significantly low in 250 km than 50-200 km. However, meat color, fat color, texture, mature, and quality grade had no differences between shipping distances. Marbling score was not different in 50-200 km. However, the marbling score in 250 km was significantly lower than that of 50 km. In case of surface meat color by shipping distance, redness, yellowness, chroma value, and hue-angle were not different in shipping distance of 250 km. The lightness had similar result in 50-200 km. However, in case of 250 km the lightness was significantly low. The REA of cow carcass by shipping distance had no differences by shipping distance. The BET had similar results in 50-150 km. However, it had significantly thick in 200 km. The yield index and yield grade had no differences in 50-150 km. However, yield index and grade were significantly low in 200 km. The carcass trait of cow had no differences in all items by shipping distance. Although the carcass traits and the BET for steer by altitude had no differences between 100, 200, 300 and 500 m, but those were significantly thick in 400 m. And the yield index and the yield grade at altitude 400 m were lower than that of other altitudes. The quality traits and the quality grade had no differences between 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 m altitudes. The yield traits, quality traits, yield grade, and quality grade had no significant differences by altitudes. In case of yield index of cow for 300 m was low than the cases of 100 m and 200 m. The surface meat color for steer and cow had no differences by altitudes. However, the lightness of cow had positive result in 100 m than 200 m and 300 m. In case of steer and cow the cortisol concentration by shipping distance was high as the shipping distances were longer. However, the cortisol concentrations of steer and cow by altitudes were decreased as the altitudes were increased. From the above results carcass traits and carcass grade were decreased and the cortisol concentration was increased as the altitudes were decreased for steer and cow.