Effects of growth path, sire type, calving time and sex on growth and carcass characteristics of beef cattle in the agricultural area of Western Australia

2009 ◽  
Vol 49 (6) ◽  
pp. 504 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. L. McIntyre ◽  
G. D. Tudor ◽  
D. Read ◽  
W. Smart ◽  
T. J. Della Bosca ◽  
...  

Growth, carcass characteristics and meat quality of the steer and heifer progeny of autumn (AC: March–April) and winter (WC: June–July) calving cows following weaning in January in each of 3 years (2003–05) were measured. The cows were mated to sires with a high estimated breeding value for either retail beef yield (RBY), intramuscular fat (IMF) or both RBY and IMF. After weaning, the progeny entered one of three growth paths until slaughter at an average steer liveweight of 500 kg: (i) fast – fast growth from weaning on a high concentrate feedlot diet; (ii) slow – slow growth from weaning (~0.6 kg/day) to 400 kg liveweight followed by growth at over 1 kg/day on high quality pasture; or (iii) comp. – 10% weaning weight loss, immediately after weaning followed by compensatory or rapid growth of over 1 kg/day on high quality pasture. Steers on the fast growth path had higher (P < 0.001) P8 fat thickness than those on the slow or comp. growth paths whereas heifers on the fast growth path only had higher (P < 0.001) P8 fat thickness than those on the slow growth path. Animals on the fast growth treatment had higher (P < 0.001) levels of IMF% than the slow animals which were higher (P < 0.001) than the comp. growth treatment. AUS-MEAT and US marbling scores were not different among growth paths. Animals finished on the fast growth path had a lower (P < 0.001) RBY% than those on either the slow or comp. growth paths. The RBY-sired progeny had higher (P < 0.001) finishing liveweight and hot standard carcass weight than either RBY and IMF or IMF-sired animals. IMF-sired progeny had higher (P < 0.01) rib fat thickness than either RBY or RBY- and IMF-sired animals. There was also a similar trend for P8 fat thickness but the effects were not significant. The RBY-sired animals had lower AUS-MEAT marbling scores (P < 0.01), US marbling scores (P < 0.001) and levels of IMF% (P < 0.01) than either of the other two sire treatments. RBY-sired animals also had higher (P < 0.001) estimated RBY% than those from the IMF sires while those by RBY and IMF sires were intermediate and not significantly different from either. Calving time had little influence on most carcass characteristics. However, WC animals tended to be fatter and have higher marbling scores than AC animals. The IMF% was higher (P < 0.01) in WC animals from RBY and IMF sires than in the corresponding AC animals. Heifers had lighter slaughter liveweight, carcass weight, were fatter and had higher marbling scores than steers. Heifers also had lower (P < 0.001) RBY% than the steers. Ossification scores for heifers were higher (P < 0.001) than for steers by ~30 units in AC calves and by 20 units in WC calves. The results of this experiment confirm the effectiveness of using sires with high estimated breeding value for the required characteristics in producing the desired improvements in the progeny. The absence of any interactions of sire type with growth path indicates that differences between sire types will be similar regardless of environmental conditions. Animals raised on a faster growth path after weaning produce carcasses with more fat and more IMF% than those grown on slower growth paths.

2016 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 341-352 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jivko Nakev ◽  
Teodora Popova ◽  
Maya Ignatova ◽  
Penka Marinova ◽  
Tania Nikolova

The aim of our study was to assess the dynamics of the characteristics in pig carcasses as affected by the season and year of slaughter. A total of 106 027 carcasses of growing-finishing pigs of commercial production, slaughtered in the same abattoir in 2014 and 2015 were included in the study. The carcasses were classified using UltraFOM 200 device, as the characteristics controlled were back-fat thickness at two locations and the depth of m. Longissimus dorsi. These measurements were used to further determine the lean meat percentage. The results of the study showed significant differences in the dynamics of changes of carcass characteristics during the seasons and the years. The highest lean meat percentage was found in summer (56.48%), followed by spring (56.34%), autumn (56.29%) and winter (56.10%). On the other hand, the pigs slaughtered in winter displayed highest carcass weight and back-fat thickness at both locations.


2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 422-423
Author(s):  
Janaina S Biava ◽  
Nathalia R Eckermann ◽  
Thamires U Sturion ◽  
Daniel M Polizel ◽  
Paulo Dias Junior ◽  
...  

Abstract The objectives of this trial were to evaluate the effects of levels of fiber in high-grain diets on carcass characteristics of feedlot lambs. Fifty-eight Dorper x Santa Inês ram lambs (initial BW 20.7 ± 1.19 kg and 75 ± 10.83 d old) were assigned to a randomized complete block design. The treatments were defined by the fiber (“Coastcross” hay) content in the diets (CP: 16,12% ± 0.92): 0F: no forage diet (NDF: 10.4%); 5F: 5% of forage (NDF: 12.1%); 10F: 10% of forage (NDF: 15.0%); 15F: 15% of forage (NDF: 15.5%); 20F: 20% of forage (NDF: 20.8%) and 25F: 25% of forage (NDF: 23.5%). The experiment lasted 89 days, at the end of this time, the animals were slaughtered (169 ± 10.83 d old) to evaluate carcass characteristics. There was a quadratic response for slaughter BW (0F: 46.3; 5F: 48.1; 10F: 49.4; 15F: 50.3; 20F: 48.5; 25F: 43.3 kg; P &lt; 0.01), hot carcass weight (0F: 24.8; 5F: 25.6; 10F: 26.0; 15F: 25.7; 20F: 24.3; 25F: 21.8 kg; P = 0.01), cold carcass weight (0F: 24.3; 5F: 25.1; 10F: 25.4; 15F: 25.1; 20F: 23.8; 25F: 21.2 kg; P = 0.01) and longissimus dorsis area (0F: 16.3; 5F: 16.5; 10F: 17.4; 15F: 16.5; 20F: 16.0; 25F: 15.1 cm2; P = 0.04). There was a linear decrease in the hot carcass yield (0F: 53.0; 5F: 53.3; 10F: 52.5; 15F: 50.9; 20F: 50.1; 25F: 50.2%; P &lt; 0.01), cold carcass yield (0F: 52.0; 5F: 52.2; 10F: 51.4; 15F: 49.8; 20F: 49.0; 25F: 48.9%; P &lt; 0.01) and body wall thickness (0F: 16.2; 5F: 17.0; 10F: 16.3; 15F: 16.3; 20F: 15.1; 25F: 13.6 kg; P = 0.01). There was no effect on subcutaneous fat thickness. In conclusion, the diet with up to 5% of forage allowed higher carcass yield; however, the heavier carcasses were produced by the lambs that received 10F diet.


2006 ◽  
Vol 46 (7) ◽  
pp. 951 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. M. Cafe ◽  
H. Hearnshaw ◽  
D. W. Hennessy ◽  
P. L. Greenwood

Two groups of Wagyu × Hereford steers grown slowly (slow preweaning group, n = 14, mean average daily gain = 631 g/day) or rapidly (rapid preweaning group, n = 15, mean average daily gain = 979 g/day) from birth to weaning were backgrounded on improved, temperate pasture to equivalent group liveweights (543 v. 548 kg, s.e. = 8.8 kg), then finished in a feedlot for 120 days. At weaning, the slow preweaning group was 79 kg lighter than the rapid preweaning group. They required an additional 43 days of backgrounding to reach the same feedlot entry weight as the rapid preweaning group. The slow preweaning group grew more rapidly during backgrounding (630 v. 549 g/day, s.e. = 13.7 g/day) but tended to grow more slowly during feedlotting (1798 v. 1982 g/day, s.e. = 74.9 g/day) than their rapid preweaning counterparts, with overall growth rates from weaning to feedlot exit not differing between the 2 groups (rapid 763 g/day v. slow 772 g/day, s.e. = 17.5 g/day). At slaughter, following the feedlot phase, carcass weights of the 2 groups did not differ significantly (rapid 430 kg v. slow 417 kg, s.e. = 7.2 kg). There was a tendency for the steers grown slowly to weaning to have a higher dressing percentage (57.6 v. 56.6%, s.e. = 0.33%), but there were no significant differences in carcass compositional characteristics between the 2 groups. The slow preweaning steers did have a greater eye muscle area than the rapid preweaning steers (106.6 v. 98.9 cm2, s.e. = 1.87) when carcass weight was used as a covariate. These findings demonstrate that cattle grown slowly to weaning have similar composition at slaughter as those grown rapidly during the same period when backgrounded on pasture to the same feedlot entry weight. Furthermore, marbling was not adversely affected by slow growth to weaning.


1989 ◽  
Vol 69 (4) ◽  
pp. 897-903
Author(s):  
P. F. ARTHUR ◽  
M. MAKARECHIAN ◽  
M. A. PRICE ◽  
R. T. BERG

Data on 99 young bulls, which were the progeny of matings of either double muscle bulls and normal cows (DMx) or normal bulls and normal cows (N) born over three calving seasons, were analyzed to compare the carcass characteristics and lean yield of yearling DMx and N bulls. DMx carcasses had larger (P < 0.001) ribeye areas and cutability but smaller (P < 0.001) grade fat and average fat thicknesses than N carcasses, when the data were adjusted to either constant slaughter age (395.7 d) or constant carcass weight (304.7 kg). Muscle:fat and muscle:bone ratios and percent muscle in the 10th-11th-12th rib joint were higher (P < 0.001), while percent fat and percent bone in the rib joint were lower (P < 0.005) in DMx compared to N carcasses, when the data were adjusted to either constant grade fat thickness (10.0 mm) or constant rib joint weight (4871.4 g). The magnitude of the observed superiority of DMx over normal carcasses in lean yield was not the same across carcass grades. For A1 or A2 carcasses, rib joints from DMx carcasses had 8.8 and 5.7%, respectively, more (P < 0.05) muscle than those from N carcasses. Key words: Carcass characteristics, double muscle, crosses, cattle


1981 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 171 ◽  
Author(s):  
JM Thompson ◽  
R Barlow

The effect of sire breed on the growth and development of carcass characteristics was examined in 104 steer carcasses, over the weight range of c. 300 to 600 kg liveweight. The carcasses were obtained from 28 straightbred Hereford, 27 Brahman x Hereford, 23 Simmental x Hereford and 26 Friesian x Hereford steers, which were grown on pasture and slaughtered in four groups when the Herefords weighed c. 270, 370, 470 and 570 kg liveweight. Changes in carcass characteristics with weight were examined by using the linear form of the allometric equation (log10Y = log10A+blog10X). As liveweight increased, the proportion of carcass in the body increased (b = 1.152). At the same liveweight, Brahman cross steers had heavier carcasses than the Hereford steers, which were heavier than either the Simmental or Friesian cross steers (P < 0.05). Fat thickness at the 12th-13th rib site, and kidney and channel fat weight both increased at a proportionally faster rate than carcass weight (b = 1.511 and 1 567 respectively). At the same carcass weight, Hereford and Brahman cross carcasses had a greater fat thickness than Simmental and Friesian cross carcasses (P i 0.05). Differences between sire breeds in kidney and channel fat weight were not significant (P > 0.05). C:rcass length and eye muscle area increased at a proportionally slower rate than carcass weight (b = 0.268 and 0.466 respectively). At the same carcass weight, Friesian cross carcasses were longer, and Simmental cross carcasses had a larger eye muscle area than the other breed crosses (P < 0.05). As total side weight increased, the proportions of subcutaneous and intermuscular fatAincreased (b = 1.554 and 1.535 respectively), and the proportions of muscle and bone decreased (b = 0.938 and 0.676 respectively). At the same side weight, the Hereford and Brahman cross carcasses had more subcutaneous fat than the Simmental and Friesian cross carcasses (P < 0.05). The Hereford carcasses had more intermuscular fat than the Simmental cross carcasses, which had more muscle than the other breed crosses (P < 0.05). Friesian cross carcasses had more bone than the Simmental crosses, with Brahman cross and Hereford carcasses having the least bone (P < 0.05). Brahman cross carcasses had a higher conformation score than the Simmental cross and Hereford carcasses, the Friesian cross carcasses having the lowest (P < 0.05). Samples of the M. longissimus from Brahman cross carcasses had a higher Warner-Bratzler shear force than samples from the other breed crosses (P < 0.05).


2001 ◽  
Vol 52 (8) ◽  
pp. 859 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. G. Hall ◽  
A. R. Gilmour ◽  
N. M. Fogarty ◽  
P. J . Holst ◽  
D. L. Hopkins

Carcass composition was estimated for 2316 second-cross lambs sired by 20 Poll Dorset rams over 2 years. The lambs were separated into ewes or cryptorchids at weaning with half of each sex group grown at a fast rate from weaning to slaughter at 40 kg liveweight for ewes or 48 kg for cryptorchids. The other half of each sex group was grown at a slower rate to the same slaughter weight 10–13 weeks later. Cryptorchids had fat scores about 0.4–1 unit lower and ultrasound C fat depths (45 mm from the mid-line over the 12th rib) about 0.8–1.3 mm less than ewes at the same liveweight. The carcass measures unequivocally showed that at the same carcass weight, fast-growing lambs were fatter than slow-growing lambs in both years and for both sexes. The average differences were 1.5 mm GR (total tissue depth 110 mm from the mid-line of the carcass over the 12th rib) and 1.4 mm C fat depth. Fat measurements on live lambs showed fast-growth cryptorchids were fatter than slow-growth cryptorchids; however, results for ewes were inconclusive. Slow growth to increase leanness needs to be evaluated against prevailing costs of lamb production and seasonal variation in prices. The correlations among and between live measures and carcass measurements of fatness were relatively low. The highest live to carcass R 2 values were ultrasound C fat depth with carcass C fat depth (0.36) and with the AUS-MEAT probe GR (0.34). There is a need to identify the best live lamb predictors of carcass composition.


1977 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 689-695
Author(s):  
J. E. LAWSON ◽  
D. G. KELLER ◽  
H. F. PETERS

Slaughter and carcass data were obtained from 60 cattalo that averaged 1/7 bison–6/7 domestic (27 bulls, 33 heifers), 19 Hereford (11 bulls, 8 heifers), and 17 1/4 Brahman–3/4 Hereford (12 bulls, 5 heifers) yearlings. At a constant age, 1/4 Brahman and Hereford exceeded cattalo in growth rate, i.e. slaughter weights were: 1/4 Brahman 381 ± 10 kg, Hereford 376 ± 8 kg, and cattalo 353 ±5 kg. At a constant 24-h cold carcass weight, cattalo exceeded Hereford in carcass length (2.3%). Breed groups did not differ in mean fat thickness over, or area of, the longissimus dorsi, dressing percent, or transit shrink. At a constant carcass weight, the weight of the loin section was similar in all breed groups, but Hereford exceeded cattalo in round weight (2.6%), cattalo surpassed 1/4 Brahman in rib weight (4.3%), and 1/4 Brahman exceeded Hereford in shoulder weight (3.2%). Bison and cattalo were reported to have heavier front than rear quarters. This study suggests that the cattalo were not heavier in the shoulder but were lighter in the round than the Hereford and that the difference basically was in the weight of the hind shank.


1990 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 171 ◽  
Author(s):  
LP Thatcher ◽  
JJL Maden ◽  
CL Plant

The carcass characteristics important for the marketing of ewe, wether and ram lambs were examined for lambs grazing annual pastures in northeastern Victoria. The lambs were Poll Dorset x (Border Leicester x Merino). The lambs grew on abundant, high quality pastures after a spring lambing in 1983. The climate in 1984 was very dry and the lambs were born in autumn when pasture availability was low, and pasture clover content reduced. Apart from carcass weight and fat depth (GR) which are used in the AUS-MEAT lamb carcass description, it was found that sex also influenced the level of subcutaneous fat; and also the GR measurement and distribution of subcutaneous fat. Sex did not, however, affect primal joint size in a commercially important way. It was concluded that lamb sex should also be included to improve carcass description, and this would be more important as larger carcasses were used. The area of the M. longissimus dorsi at the 12th rib (EMA) was not affected by sex, but it was a significant (Pc0.01) inclusion with carcass weight in predicting hindleg muscle content. Year affected level and distribution of subcutaneous fat, EMA, and primal joint size even after GR and carcass weight were described. However, the major influence of year was not clear, because there were 2 times of lambing in 2 years when nutrition was vastly different.


1970 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Cuthbertson ◽  
R. W. Pomeroy

SUMMARYThree trials were conducted to investigate the effect of length of journey by road to the abattoir, resting and feeding before slaughter on carcass characteristics of pigs of about 200 lb live weight.Trial 1 investigated feeding or no feeding on the morning of slaughter, followed by a ½-hr or 8-hr journey by lorry to the abattoir with all pigs ending their journey and being killed at the same time. Ninety-six pigs were divided equally among the four treatments and the trial was repeated with a further 108 pigs. Measurements recorded on the live pigs and their carcasses included the live weight before the imposition of treatments, weight of liver, carcass and matured sides and the composition of a sample joint. Trial 2 studied lairaging overnight with food and water after a ½-hr or 8-hr journey to the abattoir compared with these journey lengths on the morning of slaughter. Eighty pigs were divided equally among the four treatments. Similar measurements to those in trial 1 were recorded. Trial 3 involved 49 pigs applied to each of three treatments, or 7-hr journey on the day of slaughter, with all pigs finishing their journey and being slaughtered at the same time.In trial 1, pigs which travelled for 8 hr before slaughter had carcasses averaging 0·9% less than those which travelled for ½ hr, regardless of whether or not they were fed. It could not be established where this loss occurred. Liver weights were greater for those pigs which were fed and was greatest for those pigs which were fed and had the ½-hr journey. Streak thickness was found to be decreased by feeding, but was not affected by the length of the journey. No effects of the treatments were found on pH or eye-muscle colour, but the ultimate pH of the pigs fed before the 8-hr journey was lower than for the other treatments. Trial 2 pigs showed no effect of the treatments on carcass weights. Liver weights were similar on all treatments except for the treatment involving 8-hr journey followed by lairage where the liver was about 220 g (16%) heavier. The ultimate pH value was lowest among pigs which travelled 8 hr on the morning of slaughter but was similar for pigs on the other treatments. In trial 3, loss of live weight tended to increase with increasing journey length. Pigs on the 7-hr journey treatment had about 90 g (6%) more liver than those on the shorter journeys. pH1 values increased with length of journey and the longer the journey the thinner tended to be the maximum shoulder fat thickness.From the differences in the results from the three trials, notably with carcass weight, it may be inferred that the behaviour and handling of pigs during the journey and during loading and unloading, may play an important part in determining the result of the length of the journey, resting and feeding. Further work is considered necessary to study such factors.


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