Abstract
The growing use of visual scores (VS) and ultrasound (US) for carcass evaluation in breeding programs, calls for a knowledge of the relationships between these traits and other relevant characteristics, such as feed efficiency and production of commercial cuts. The objective of this study was to evaluate correlations between body visual scores and carcass traits identified by ultrasound (US) and feed efficiency (FE), carcass weight (HCW), dressing percentage (DP) and retail product yield (RPY) in beef cattle. Nellore cattle (male), 42 non-castrated [NCAST] and 44 castrated [CAST]) were evaluated by both VS and US, at the postweaning (15-month old) and finishing phases (21-month old). Visual scores of conformation (C), precocity (P) and muscling (M) were assessed and the backfat thickness (UBFT), rump fat thickness (URFT) and ribeye area (UREA) were measured by ultrasound. Gain-to-feed (G:F) ratio and residual feed intake (RFI) were measured in feedlot. Hot carcass weight, DP and RPY were determined at harvest. Non-castrated cattle had greater HCW and RPY but lower UBFT and URFT than CAST. Postweaning VS and US were poorly correlated with FE in both sexual conditions. Finishing VS were negatively correlated with G:F in CAST and finishing URFT was negatively correlated with RPY in NCAST. The relationship of VS and US with feed efficiency and meat yield is affected by age at the date of evaluation and by castration. Feed efficiency is not related to the yield of meat cuts in Nellore cattle
Highlights
Producers and packing plants have taken more interest in the area of carcass quality and the benefits it can deliver
The objective of this study was to evaluate correlations between body visual scores and carcass traits identified by ultrasound (US) and feed efficiency (FE), carcass weight (HCW), dressing percentage (DP) and retail product yield (RPY) in beef cattle
Finishing VS were negatively correlated with G:F in CAST and finishing URFT was negatively correlated with Retail product yield (RPY) in NCAST
Summary
Producers and packing plants have taken more interest in the area of carcass quality and the benefits it can deliver. Producing carcasses with greater dressing percentage can improve the revenues of producers in the finishing activity as their remuneration is based directly on carcass weight. Carcasses with higher yield of commercial cuts decrease fabrication costs per unit of product in the packing plant. Besides carcass traits, feed efficiency has been considered an economically relevant factor. Cattle that eat less feed to achieve the same performance as their cohorts are more profitable and environmentally friendly (Hegarty et al, 2007; Cruz et al, 2010). There is a growing interest in technologies that indirectly improve cattle feed efficiency
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