Dark-cutting beef is a condition in cattle that makes muscles of cattle appear very dark. This condition is caused by a decrease in the amount of glycogen in the muscle prior to slaughter. Glycogen is the product in the muscle that is converted to lactic acid, which decreases the pH of the muscle. This decrease in pH causes the muscle to be bright cherry-red.
If there is not enough glycogen to decrease the pH in the muscle, then the muscle will have a dark appearance to the lean surface. Consumers are not willing to buy dark beef and thus the value is decreased. Producers and feeders can help to decrease this loss to the beef industry by decreasing the amount of stress that they apply to cattle. In the 2000 audit 2.3% of the cattle produced were dark cutters. Dark Cutters cost the beef industry an estimated $5.81 per head produced in the United States in the year 2000.
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