Quality of beef, chevon and mutton at Hawassa, Southern Ethiopia

The study was conducted to study meat quality of beef, chevon and mutton consumed at Hawassa city in Southern Ethiopia. Purposive sampling technique was used to collect information from butcheries. From each sub cities, 15 butcheries were selected randomly for the purpose thus, a total of 45 sample butchers were used. From longissimus dorsi muscle, sample of beef, chevon and mutton were taken and analyzed for the study. The average pH value of beef, chevon and mutton was 5.6, 5.8 and 5.5, respectively. The average water holding capacity (WHC) was 23, 29 and 32%, respectively, for beef, chevon and mutton. The average cook loss of beef, chevon and mutton was 33.8, 32.5 and 29.9%, respectively. Protein content of raw, boiled and roasted beef was 16.1, 23 and 31.2% DM, respectively, while the average fat of raw, boiled and roasted beef were 5.4, 7.2 and 10% DM, respectively. Ash content of 1.2, 1.8 and 2.7% DM was found for raw, roasted and cooked beef, respectively and the average moisture of raw, boiled and roasted beef was reported as 72.7, 63.2 and 51.8%, respectively. The average value of raw, boiled and roasted protein and fat chevon was 20, 29.8, 34; 5.3, 8 and 11.4%, respectively. On the other hand, ash content was 0.9, 2 and 3. 6% DM; moisture 74.2, 60.6 and 48.2%; were found for raw, roasted and cooked chevon, respectively. For raw, roasted and cooked mutton, protein content of 19, 28.2 and 32% DM; fat 6.4, 8.1 and 11.6% DM; ash 1.1, 2.7 and 3.7% DM and moisture 72.7, 59.4 and 44.8%, respectively, were found. The results indicate that the moisture, ash, protein, fat, cooking loss and water holding capacity of the beef, chevon and mutton were almost in comparable with the results reported by various researchers in Africa.