A comparison of carcass proportions in Czech Pied and Montbeliarde bulls with a high carcass weight

Abstract

The aim of the experiment was to compare the carcass composition of 20 Montbeliarde bulls (M) and 20 Czech Pied bulls (C). The carcass weight of the animals in one group varied minimally and was about 380 kg. The Montbeliarde bulls showed a higher growth rate, expressed by a significantly lower (P < 0.01) age at slaughter (562.6 vs. 626 days) while the live weight (682.9 vs. 690.6 kg) and carcass weight (380.4 vs. 382.6 kg) were comparable, which resulted in a significantly higher (P < 0.01) daily weight gain (1.142 vs. 1.045 kg) and net weight gain (0.676 vs. 0.615 kg). The Montbeliarde bulls showed a greater (P < 0.05) height at rump (144.0 vs. 140.2 cm), worse carcass conformation according to SEUROP (3.24 vs. 2.84), lower proportion of forequarter (44.7 vs. 45.7%) and higher proportion of hindquarter (55.3 vs. 54.3%). As for the carcass composition, no significant inter-breed differences were found in weights and proportions of shanks, meat trimmings, separable fat, bones, round, loin, filet, flank with rib, flank, shoulder and chuck. The Montbeliarde bulls had a significantly lower (P < 0.05) weight and proportion of neck (10.1 vs. 11.1 kg and 5.4 vs. 5.9%) and weight of brisket and rib (17.6 vs. 18.7 kg) and proportion of brisket and rib (9.4 vs. 9.9%, P < 0.01).