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A comparison of different breeds and crosses from the suckler herd 2. Carcass characteristics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

A. J. Kempster ,
G. L. Cook  and
J. R. Southgate
A. J. Kempster
Affiliation:
Meat and Livestock Commission, PO Box 44, Queensway House, Bletchley, Milton Keynes MK2 2EF
G. L. Cook
Affiliation:
Meat and Livestock Commission, PO Box 44, Queensway House, Bletchley, Milton Keynes MK2 2EF
J. R. Southgate
Affiliation:
Meat and Livestock Commission, PO Box 44, Queensway House, Bletchley, Milton Keynes MK2 2EF
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Abstract

A comparison was made of the carcass characteristics of purebred Galloway, Luing and Welsh Black steers, and crossbred steers out of Blue-Grey and Hereford × Friesian dams by Aberdeen-Angus, Charolais, Devon, Hereford, Limousin, Lincoln Red, Simmental, South Devon and Sussex sires, in winter and summer fattening systems. A total of 1430 cattle were involved and the trial extended over 6 years.

The cattle were slaughtered when their fatness was estimated, using the Scanogram ultrasonic machine, to be in fat class 3L of the Meat and Livestock Commission Beef Carcase Classification Scheme. Carcasses were evaluated using a standardized commercial cutting technique.

The data for crossbred and purebred cattle were analysed separately within the fattening system using leastsquares models, which included effects for year, sire breed and dam breed, and with regression on age at the beginning of the trial and carcass subcutaneous fat concentration estimated by visual appraisal.

Limousin and Charolais crosses killed out best. Their carcass weights were, on average, 20g/kg live weight heavier than those of Aberdeen-Angus, Devon, Hereford and Lincoln Red crosses. There was a range of 20 to 30 g/kg carcass weight between sire breeds in carcass saleable meat yield: the highest values were recorded for the Limousin crosses (evaluated on winter fattening only) followed by Charolais and Aberdeen-Angus crosses; Lincoln Red crosses had the lowest values among the crossbreds and Luing cattle among the purebreds. These differences were more a reflexion of differences in fat trim than of differences in meat to bone ratio.

Continental sire breeds had significantly more of their total saleable meat in the higher-priced cuts (P<0·05), although the range between sire breeds was only 15 g/kg.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 35 , Issue 1 , August 1982 , pp. 99 - 111
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1982

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References

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