Comparisons of liveweight gain and changes in carcass composition between buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) and Bos taurus steers

Abstract

Comparisons of liveweight gain, carcass tissue weight gain and carcass composition were made between buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) steers and Angus, Friesian and Hereford steers, and among the three Bos taurus breeds following similar periods of lot-feeding. After a high-grain concentrate feeding regime for 182–205 days, mean daily liveweight gains were Herefords, 1.08 kg; Friesians, 0.88 kg; Angus, 0.72 kg; and buffaloes, 0.67 kg. At the commencement of lot-feeding, mean carcass composition was similar among Bos breeds whilst the buffaloes had higher proportions of muscle and bone and a lower proportion of fat. After lot-feeding there were slight changes only in the mean carcass composition of the buffaloes, whereas there were large changes in and among Bos breeds. An analysis of carcass weight gain showed that liveweight gain did not reflect differential tissue growth. The buffaloes, with a liveweight gain of 87 kg, gained 31.7 kg muscle and 9.3 kg fat. Corresponding gains in Bos breeds were Herefords, 141 kg liveweight for 31.3 kg muscle and 62.7 kg fat; Friesians, 108 kg liveweight for 3 2 8 kg muscle and 19.3 kg fat; and Angus, 98 kg liveweight for 12.5 kg muscle and 57.8 kg fat. The respective increases in weight of muscle and fat expressed as percentages of liveweight increase were buffaloes, 36.4 and 10.7; Herefords, 22.2 and 44.5; Friesians, 30.4 and 17.9; and Angus, 12.8 and 59.0. Regression equations for percentages of muscle, bone and fat on chilled carcass weight are given for the three Bos taurus breeds and the buffaloes.