Carcass quality of 10 beef cattle breeds of the Southwest of Europe in their typical production systems (original) (raw)
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Production and carcass quality of ten beef cattle breeds of the southwest of Europe
A sample of about 70 young bulls of each of ten beef cattle breeds reared in their typical production systems has been studied regarding growth and carcass quality traits. Breeds included were Asturiana de los Valles (AV), Asturiana de la Montaña (AM), Avileña-Negra Ibérica (A-NI), Bruna dels Pirineus (BP), Morucha (Mo), Pirenaica (Pi) and Retinta (Re) from Spain, and Aubrac (Au), Gasconne (Ga) and Salers (Sal) from France. There existed large differences between breeds and also within breeds. AV and Pi were the breeds with more muscle and less fat, whereas A-NI, Mo and Re were in the opposite side. BP and AM occupied an intermediate position. This allows to classify the Spanish breeds in three groups: AV and Pi would belong to the group of late maturity, A-NI, Mo and Re, would be early maturing breeds, whereas BP and AM, despite the small size of the last, will be of intermediate maturity. In the French populations, Au was the breed with the highest carcass weight and Ga exhibited the lowest. Sal occupied an intermediate position, showing the longer and thinner thigh. In a wide range of carcass weight, the general relationships among carcass traits have been confirmed. Animals with the better conformation were also the leaner and longer carcasses tended to be lowly associated with a poorer conformation and fatter carcasses. Bone
Carcass characterisation of seven Spanish beef breeds slaughtered at two commercial weights
Meat Science, 2005
A total of 159 bulls representing seven Spanish beef breeds were fed with concentrates, managed in the same conditions and slaughtered at two commercial weights (veal and young-bull). Carcasses were measured and classified in order to characterise the carcass variation in the Spanish beef market and to assess the relationship among carcass measurements and grading. Principal Component Analysis clearly separated commercial types regardless the inclusion of the carcass weight in the input data. Within commercial weights the studied breeds clustered into three groups according to muscular development and carcass classification score: high meat producer breeds (Asturiana de los Valles and Rubia Gallega); medium meat producers (Parda Alpina and Pirenaica); and low meat producers (Avileñ a, Retinta and Morucha). The perimeter and width of the leg (muscular development) besides the length and width of the carcass basically defined these three carcass types. Conformation was an important trait in explaining variation between breeds because its values were positively correlated with muscular development and carcass compactness.
Meat Science, 2004
Seventy-four young bulls of the Bruna dels Pirineus beef cattle breed were reared in a typical production system and slaughtered at an average age of 381 days and live weight of 541 kg. The animals were evaluated for productive traits, carcass quality, meat quality, eating quality and biochemical characteristics of m. longissimus thoracis (LT). Biochemical measurements included intramuscular fat (IMF) and collagen proportion, haem pigment concentration, lactate dehydrogenase and isocitrate dehydrogenase activities and type I (MHC I) fibre percentage determined by ELISA. Bruna dels Pirineus bulls achieved high growth rates during the fattening period (1.63 kg/day) and showed good carcass quality, with a high dressing-out proportion (607 g/kg, hot carcass), a good conformation score (U; EUROP) and a moderate fatness score (3;1-5). Carcass composition was estimated from the sixth rib joint dissection (682 g/kg lean proportion, 127 g/kg total dissectable fat and 163 g/kg bone). IMF (24.3 g/kg) and MHC I (27.9%) showed high variabilities (CV> 30%). Sensory analysis of LT included beef and livery odour and flavour intensity, and overall tenderness and juiciness assessment of loin samples (14-day ageing). Beef odour and flavour were slightly positively correlated with IMF and carcass fatness score (P< 0.05). Fatness, MHC I, insoluble collagen and cooking losses tended to affect the livery flavour intensity positively. This variable was significantly higher in meat from bulls of lower carcass quality (i.e. lower conformation score, lower lean proportion; P< 0.05) and higher type I fibre percentage. Loin overall tenderness and juiciness were not affected by the biochemical traits studied, however, they were negatively affected by cooking loss (P< 0.05).
Genetic parameters for carcass weight, conformation and fat in five beef cattle breeds
animal, 2014
Profitability of beef production can be increased by genetically improving carcass traits. To construct breeding value evaluations for carcass traits, breed-specific genetic parameters were estimated for carcass weight, carcass conformation and carcass fat in five beef cattle breeds in Finland (Hereford, Aberdeen Angus, Simmental, Charolais and Limousin). Conformation and fat were visually scored using the EUROP carcass classification. Each breed was separately analyzed using a multitrait animal model. A total of 6879-19 539 animals per breed had phenotypes. For the five breeds, heritabilities were moderate for carcass weight ( h 2 = 0.39 to 0.48, s.e. = 0.02 to 0.04) and slightly lower for conformation ( h 2 = 0.30 to 0.44, s.e. = 0.02 to 0.04) and carcass fat ( h 2 = 0.29 to 0.44, s.e. = 0.02 to 0.04). The genetic correlation between carcass weight and conformation was favorable in all breeds (r G = 0.37 to 0.53, s.e. = 0.04 to 0.05), heavy carcasses being genetically more conformed. The phenotypic correlation between carcass weight and carcass fat was moderately positive in all breeds (r P = 0.21 to 0.32), implying that increasing carcass weight was related to increasing fat levels. The respective genetic correlation was the strongest in Hereford (r G = 0.28, s.e. = 0.05) and Angus (r G = 0.15, s.e. = 0.05), the two small body-sized British breeds with the lowest conformation and the highest fat level. The correlation was weaker in the other breeds (r G = 0.08 to 0.14). For Hereford, Angus and Simmental, more conformed carcasses were phenotypically fatter (r P = 0.11 to 0.15), but the respective genetic correlations were close to zero (r G = − 0.05 to 0.04). In contrast, in the two large body-sized and muscular French breeds, the genetic correlation between conformation and fat was negative and the phenotypic correlation was close to zero or negative (Charolais: r G = − 0.18, s.e. = 0.06, r P = 0.02; Limousin: r G = − 0.56, s.e. = 0.04, r P = − 0.13). The results indicate genetic variation for the genetic improvement of the carcass traits, favorable correlations for the simultaneous improvement of carcass weight and conformation in all breeds, and breed differences in the correlations of carcass fat.
Carcass and meat quality in double-muscled Belgian Blue bulls and cows
Meat Science, 2003
Carcass and meat quality of 37 bulls and 91 cows of the Belgian Blue breed (double-muscled type) were compared. Age at slaughter averaged 648 AE 73 and 1820AE689 days, respectively. Both groups of cattle were finished on maize silage supplemented with concentrate, and were slaughtered at about 750 kg live weight. Females had a lower (P=0.004) cold carcass weight (469.7 kg) in comparison with bulls (500.8 kg), due to a reduced dressing percentage (63.8 vs. 66.6; P <0.001). SEUROP conformation was better for bulls. SEUROP fat covering (P=0.007) and fat content in the carcass (16.4 vs. 12.9%; P < 0.001) and in the M. longissimus thoracis (LT) muscle (2.3 vs. 1.1%; P < 0.001) were higher for females than for males. The LT of cows was darker (lower L* and higher a*-value; P < 0.001), had a better waterholding capacity (P40.063) and was slightly more tender (P=0.120) than the LT of bulls. Increasing parity reduced dressing percentage and increased LT lightness (L*-value) in cows. Several carcass (SEUROP-grading, composition, LT-area) and meat quality traits (protein and fat contents, drip and cooking losses, a*-value) were better correlated with carcass weight than parity.
Animal : an international journal of animal bioscience, 2015
The aim of this study was to evaluate the carcass and meat characteristics of eight muscles from bulls with distinct growth paths. A total of 40 Alentejana male calves were allocated to two distinct feeding regimes. In the continuous growth (CG) system, the animals were fed concentrates plus hay and were slaughtered at 18 months of age. On the other hand, in the discontinuous growth (DG) system, the animals were fed hay until 15 months of age; the cattle were then fed the same diet provided to the CG group from 15 to 24 months of age. The DG reduced hot carcass weight, fatness and dressing %, but the proportions of fat, bone and muscle tissues in the leg were not affected. In contrast, there was a positive impact of compensatory growth on supraspinatus, triceps brachii, semitendinosus, biceps femoris muscle tenderness, overcoming the negative effects of age at slaughter. The reasons for such improvement in meat tenderness were not related to intra-muscular fat content or myofibrilla...
Effect of the body weight on carcass characteristics from young bulls
The young bulls (½ Angus vs. ½ Nellore) were slaughtered at light, medium and heavy body weight (BW) to investigate carcass characteristics. The bulls were distributed in a completely randomized design by a factorial scheme 3 x 3 and data analyzed by ANOVA using the GLM procedure. Twenty-one young bulls (243 ± 11.7 kg, 12 ± 2 month old) were allocated in individual pens and distributed into three experimental diets (n = 7): E0.0, diet without addition of the blend of EO; E3.5, 437 mg/kg of dry matter (DM) of the blend of EO; and E7.0, 875 mg/kg of DM of the blend of EO, for 4 months (sugar cane bagasse pellets, ground corn, soybean meal, limestone, yeast, mineral salt were used as-fed). The young bulls (16 months-old ± 2) were slaughtered at light, 386 ± 12.9 kg; medium, 443 ± 13.6 kg; and heavy, 500 ± 28.6 kg BW. The hot and cold carcass weight increased in according slaughter BW. Bulls slaughtered at medium and heavy BW had higher Longissimus muscle area and fat thickness. Whereas, bulls slaughtered at light BW had highest proportion of bone and others tissues (tendons, fascia, blood vessels), and lower proportion of total fat.
Chilean journal of agricultural research, 2014
Apart from others factors, carcass quality is determined by the animal's age and body weight (BW) at the end of the fattening period. The aim of this study was to determine the optimum finishing weight of young crossbred 'Polish Holstein Friesian' (PHF) × 'Limousin' (LIM) steers and bulls, based on their slaughter value. The experimental materials comprised 60 animals, including 30 bulls and 30 steers, fed farm-made feeds. At 2 or 3 wk of age, one half of calves were castrated. Bloodless castration was carried out using a rubber elastrator. Calves were reared under a conventional system, and were fattened semi-intensively. Daily gains ranged from 800 to 950 g. Calves were fattened to 450, 500, 550, or 600 kg BW. Carcass value was estimated after slaughter. Fatty acid profile was determined by gas chromatography in fat extracted from samples of muscle longissimus dorsi (MLD). Bulls, compared with steers, were characterized by a higher slaughter value, including a higher carcass dressing percentage by 1.07-2.60%, higher carcass conformation, and lower carcass fatness. In steers, an increase in live BW was accompanied by a considerable increase in fat content (higher than bulls), as confirmed by a significant (p ≤ 0.01) interaction. The intramuscular fat of bulls was characterized by higher concentrations of fatty acids delivering health benefits, and a more desirable polyunsaturated fatty acids/saturated fatty acids (PUFA/SFA) ratio. Fat from bulls contained higher levels of PUFAs by 2.34 g 100 g-1 on average. Semi-intensive fattening of PHF × LIM bulls to slaughter weight of 600 kg BW is recommended due to an increase in carcass value. Steers should be fattened to slaughter weight of 500-550 kg BW to prevent excessive fat deposition.
Meat Science, 2009
Forty beef carcasses were classified for conformation and fatness. Besides, carcass weight, fat thickness (FT), carcass dimension, marbling by computer image analysis and ultrasound readings was recorded to complement grading. For predicting intramuscular fat (IMF) content, FT, number of intramuscular flecks and conformation increased R 2 -value from 0.19 to 0.64 compared to conformation alone. For visual marbling, ultrasound readings and thoracic depth (TD) increased the R 2 -value from 0.24 to 0.57 compared to fatness score (FS). The best variables for predicting weight of fabricated subprimals were carcass weight or compactness which is a function of carcass weight (R 2 between 0.94 and 0.63). Fatness score was poorer than FT for predicting yield of subprimals cuts from round (R 2 = 0.16 vs. 0.50) and ultrasound readings for less valuable subprimals (R 2 = 0.31 vs. 0.39). These results showed that other variables could be used in combination with carcass fatness or conformation to achieve a more accurate estimation of fat and carcass yield.
Comparison of slaughter value and muscle properties of selected cattle breeds in Poland – Review
2010
The aim of the paper was the comparison of slaughter value and muscle properties of dual-purpose cattle most common in Poland with that of beef type, from which high quality culinary meat is obtained. Four breeds were compared: two of them were dual-purpose type i.e. Holstein-Fresian of Black and White variety and Polish Red and the other two – of beef type i.e. Limousine and Hereford. There are discussed factors influencing cattle slaughter value and muscle properties, i.e. the impact of the utility type, gender, age, feeding systems, as well as maturation rate of animals. The slaughter value was presented using the dressing percentage and the content of main components in the carcass i.e. the muscle tissue, fat and bones. The tissue composition of analysed cattle breeds and the share of main cuts in their carcasses were presented. Higher daily gains of beef type or dual-purpose breeds are connected with a higher number of muscle fibers (hyperplasia) and also with a bigger size of ...