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A note on the Charolais and Murray Grey as terminal sire breeds

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

C. A. Morris ,
R. L. Baker ,
J. J. Bass  and
D. L. Johnson
C. A. Morris
Affiliation:
New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Research Division, Ruakura Agricultural Research Centre, Private Bag, Hamilton, New Zealand
R. L. Baker
Affiliation:
New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Research Division, Ruakura Agricultural Research Centre, Private Bag, Hamilton, New Zealand
J. J. Bass
Affiliation:
New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Research Division, Ruakura Agricultural Research Centre, Private Bag, Hamilton, New Zealand
D. L. Johnson
Affiliation:
New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Research Division, Ruakura Agricultural Research Centre, Private Bag, Hamilton, New Zealand
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Abstract

A comparison was made of the carcass characteristics of 73 Charolais-sired and 86 Murray Grey-sired cattle slaughtered at about 20 months of age. Six Charolais and 10 Murray Grey sires were used. At a constant slaughter age (597 days) the Charolais-sired calves had significantly heavier pre-slaughter live weight (36 kg) and carcass weight (24 kg) and significantly less fat over the m. longissimus (2·8 mm), but there was no significant difference in killing-out proportion. In the dissected half-carcass, the Charolais-sired calves had significantly more meat (9·3 kg), more bone (3·5 kg) and less fat (1·9 kg). At a constant carcass weight (233 kg), Charolais-sired calves had significantly more meat (1·8 kg) more bone (1·9 kg) and less fat (3·5 kg) in the dissected side. After making allowance for the higher calf mortality from birth to weaning of Charolais-sired calves (0·041), the advantage in carcass weight was reduced to 13 kg. It is concluded that the Charolais breed is superior to the Murray Grey as a terminal sire.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 41 , Issue 2 , October 1985 , pp. 249 - 252
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1985

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References

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