The objective was to evaluate the physical, chemical and sensory of buffaloes meat slaughtered in different periods of feedlot. Twenty castrated, hornless Murrah buffaloes with initial average age of 15 months old were slaughtered at 75, 100, 125 or 150 days of feedlot. After slaughter, the carcasses were identified and cooled for 24 hours. During the deboning, samples were taken from striploin between the 10th and 11st ribs for sensory characteristics analyses and cooking losses; between 11st and 12nd ribs for centesimal composition, caloric value, pH and myofibril fragmentation index (MFI); and between the 12nd and 13rd ribs for marbling score and shear force analysis. Centesimal composition, pH, shear force, caloric value, cooking losses and MFI did not differ among feedlot periods. Marbling score differed among slaughter ages since animals slaughtered at 75 days of feedlot showed marbling score of 1.25, and that slaughtered at 100 and 125 days, marbling score of 2, and those slaughtered at 150 days of feedlot, score 2.2. In all feedlot periods, buffaloes meat was classified as soft (3.94 kgf), with characteristics that did not differ among sensory panel at 75 and 150 days of feedlot. Buffalo slaughter at 75 and 150 days of feedlot does not influence the sensory characteristics as flavor, aroma and color of Buffalo meat.
centesimal composition; river water buffalo; sensory evaluation; tenderness
