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The effect of a short finishing period for weaned once-bred heifers prior to slaughter on carcass height and composition

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 November 2017

K D Sinclair ,
J Booth  and
B G Lowman
K D Sinclair
Affiliation:
The North of Scotland College of Agriculture, 581 King Street, Aberdeen
J Booth
Affiliation:
The North of Scotland College of Agriculture, 581 King Street, Aberdeen
B G Lowman
Affiliation:
The East of Scotland College of Agriculture, Bush Estate, Penicuik
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Extract

Previous work carried out at Aberdeen to investigate the effect of varying the length of the suckling period post calving on heifer and calf performance has shown little difference in the carcasses of heifers slaughtered twelve weeks post calving compared to heifers slaughtered six weeks post calving (Lowman and Broadbent, 1988). These results further emphasise the nutritional demand for lactation and suggest that major improvements in carcass weight of calved heifers can only be obtained if they are weaned early or allowed an appropriate finishing period after weaning. An experiment was therefore set up to examine the effect of a short finishing period for weaned once-bred heifers prior to slaughter on carcass weight, composition and eating quality and to relate these findings to a group of non-pregnant heifers.

Type
Beef Production and Nutrition
Information
Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Production (1972) , Volume 1989 , March 1989 , pp. 129
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Production 1989

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