Relationship between cattle age and tongue tenderness, color life, intramuscular fat content, and palatability outcomes.

We evaluated the relationship of dental age at harvest on color life and palatability of beef tongues from cull dairy cows. Tongues (n = 60) were procured at harvest from carcasses exhibiting 2, 4, 6, or 8 permanent incisors (PI). Tongues were separated into root and body locations, sliced into samples 5-mm-thick, trimmed to remove epithelial surface tissue, and allocated to uncooked or cooked Allo-Kramer shear force (AKSF), 108 h of simulated retail display, intramuscular fat (IMF) determination, or trained sensory evaluation. Data were analyzed using a split-plot experimental design and a one-way treatment structure with mixed ANOVA models; count of PI was the whole plot, location within tongue was the subplot, and harvest date was the random effect. Slices from the root location had lower AKSF values (P < 0.01) than body slices. Cooked slices from cows with 2 or 4 PI were more tender (P = 0.02) than those with 8 PI; AKSF of uncooked samples did not differ (P = 0.94). Slices from the root of cows with 6 or 8 PI were darker (P < 0.01) than slices from cows with 2 PI. Root slices possessed more IMF (P < 0.01) and were rated higher (P < 0.01) for subjective tenderness, overall juiciness, and fat-like flavor; body was rated higher (P < 0.01) for beef flavor identity, liver-like and bloody/serumy flavor than root slices. These results indicate that number of PI present at harvest is associated with cooked tenderness and color outcomes of beef tongues.