Hostname: page-component-7bb8b95d7b-dvmhs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-10-06T01:08:24.387Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The evaluation of a standardized commercial cutting technique for determining breed differences in carcass composition

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

A. J. Kempster ,
G. L. Cook  and
R. J. Smith
A. J. Kempster
Affiliation:
Meat and Livestock Commission, P.O. Box 44, Queensway House, Bletchley, Milton Keynes, MK2 2EF
G. L. Cook
Affiliation:
Meat and Livestock Commission, P.O. Box 44, Queensway House, Bletchley, Milton Keynes, MK2 2EF
R. J. Smith
Affiliation:
Meat and Livestock Commission, P.O. Box 44, Queensway House, Bletchley, Milton Keynes, MK2 2EF
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Data for 383 steer carcasses from the first 3 years of the Meat and Livestock Commission's Beef Breed Evaluation programme were used to evaluate a standardized commercial cutting technique for estimating breed differences in carcass composition. The sample included carcasses from cattle out of Friesian, Hereford × Friesian and Blue-Grey dams by sires of the main traditional British beef breeds and by Charolais, Limousin and Simmental sires. The left side of each carcass was divided into 14 standardized commercial joints which were deboned and trimmed of fat to a fixed level (commercial cutting); the other side was jointed in the same way and each joint fully separated into lean, subcutaneous fat, intermuscular fat and bone (full separation). Breed means for characteristics obtained by commercial cutting were adjusted to equal carcass subcutaneous fat percentage (SF) estimated by visual appraisal, while those for full separation characteristics were adjusted to equal SF obtained by tissue separation. Breed differences in deboned fat-trimmed joints (saleable meat) as a percentage of carcass weight were in good agreement with those for carcass lean percentage (between-breed correlation, rb = 0·92), as were those for saleable meat to bone ratio and lean to bone ratio (rb = 0·91). There was a poorer relationship between fat trim and separable fat (rb = 0·62) but there was little breed variation in these characteristics at equal SF. Breed differences in the percentage of total saleable meat distributed in higher-priced joints were very similar to those for lean distribution in higher-priced joints (rb = 0·87).

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 95 , Issue 2 , October 1980 , pp. 431 - 440
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1980

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Carroll, M. A. (1967). Problems in beef carcass evaluation. In Proceedings of 9th International Congress of Animal Production, Edinburgh 1966, pp. 117–124. EAAP.Google Scholar
Cuthbertson, A., Harrington, G. & Smith, R. J. (1972). Tissue separation – to assess beef and lamb variation. Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Production 1972, pp. 113–122.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kempster, A. J., Cuthbertson, A. & Harrington, G. (1976). Fat distribution in steer carcasses of different breeds and crosses. 1. Distribution between depots. Animal Production 23, 25–34.Google Scholar
Kempster, A. J. & Harrington, G. (1979). Variation in the carcass characteristics of commercial British beef cattle1. Meat Science 3, 53–62.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kempster, A. J. & Jones, D. W. (1977). Relationships between the lean content of joints and overall lean content in steer carcasses of different breeds and crosses. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 88, 193–201.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kempster, A. J. & Owen, M. G. (1980). Note on the accuracy of an ultrasonic technique for selecting cattle of different breeds for slaughter at equal fatness. Animal Production (in the Press).Google Scholar
Limousin and Simmental Tests Steering Committee (1976). Report of the evaluation of the first importation into Great Britain in 1970–71 of Limousin and Simmental bulls from Germany and Switzerland, 100 pp. London: H.M.S.O.Google Scholar
Meat and Livestock Commission (1974). Standard conditions of deadweight purchase for cattle, sheep, pork and cutter pigs, 14 pp. Bletchley, Bucks: Meat and Livestock Commission.Google Scholar
Meat and Livestock Commission (1975). Progress on Beef Carcase Classification. Marketing and Meat Trade Technical Bulletin, No. 22. Bletchley, Bucks: Meat and Livestock Commission.Google Scholar
Meat and Livestock Commission (1978). Breed differences in carcass composition – results from MLC Beef Breed Evaluation at Ingliston and Sutton Bonington. Marketing Services Newsletter No. 18. Bletchley, Bucks: Meat and Livestock Commission.Google Scholar