Abstract
The slaughter and carcass features of four breeds named Limousin (LI), Charolais (CH), Angus (AN), and Hereford (HE) were examined. Nine calves from each breed were slaughtered at an average age of 18.5months. The animals were weighed before slaughter, and the slaughter weights as well as some body measurements of the animals were recorded. The dismemberment of the carcasses was performed after a resting period of 24h at + 4°C. The slaughter weights were 581.89, 590.72, 577.67, and 610.89kg, respectively. Chilled carcass weights were 348.26, 346.91, 327.60, and 338.10kg, respectively, with no significant differences among breeds. Dressing percentages were 59.89, 58.75, 56.71, and 55.33%, and the valuable meat ratios were 27.89, 27.66, 24.45, and 24.32%, respectively. Carcass bone ratios were 13.89, 14.17, 14.64, and 14.61%, respectively. The longissimus muscle areas (LMA) were 97.46, 102.29, 81.05, and 83.93 cm2, and the subcutaneous fat thickness was 0.38, 0.43, 1.00, and 1.32cm, respectively. Significant differences were observed among breeds in terms of these characteristics. Carcass weight was highest in LI, and LI and CH breeds had higher carcass yields than the other two breeds. Although HE had the highest slaughter weight, it showed the lowest carcass yield. Whilst more meat was obtained from LI and CH, the highest fat and bone ratios were determined in HE and AN.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
