Abstract
Abstract Carcass quality characteristics of young Friesian bulls (17–20 months) were compared with those of Piedmontese × Friesian (Pied-X) and Belgian Blue × Friesian (Belg.Bl-X) bulls of similar age. The bulls were run together on pasture from an age of about 12 weeks, and were slaughtered in three lots each containing 10 of each breed group. Mean liveweights at slaughter and carcass weights (overall mean 296 kg) did not differ significantly between the breed groups, but the mean weight-adjusted dressing-out percentage was significantly higher (P < 0.001) for the Pied-X (57.80) and Belg.Bl-X (56.70) groups than for the Friesian group (54.01). Mean total trimmed meat yield (measured as the total for groups of 10 bulls rather than for individuals) as a percentage of carcass weight was also higher for the Pied-X (76.0) and Belg.Bl-X (75.7) than for the Friesian group (73.2). Similar and highly significant (P < 0.001) breed differences in meat yield were shown for the combined weight of six major hindquarte...
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