Effect of Different Selection Criteria on Performance, Carcass and Meat Quality of Nellore Young Bulls

Juliana Silva,Saulo Luz Silva,Nara Regina Brandão Cônsolo,Vicente Luiz Macedo Buarque,Joanir Pereira Eler,Fernando Baldi,Arlindo Saran Netto,Taiane Da Silva Martins,Juan Fernando Morales Gómez,Annelise Aila Gomes Lobo,Paulo Roberto Leme,David Edwin Gerrard,Mariane Beline

doi:10.3390/agriculture11040294

Juliana Silva, Saulo Luz Silva + Show 11 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture11040294

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Abstract

This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of selection criteria for post-weaning daily gain (PWDG) and early sexual heifer precocity (PP14) on the performance, carcass traits and meat quality of Nellore bulls. In year one, 50 animals were selected according to their expected progeny differences (EPDs) for PWDG and grouped as high (HG) or low (LG) groups. In year two, 50 animals were selected according to EPD for PP14 and also grouped as high (HP) or low (LP). After slaughter, samples of the longissimus muscle area (LMA) were used to evaluate meat quality. Most of performance traits were not affected by the selection criteria. However, the HG group had higher dressing percentage (p = 0.028), LMA (p = 0.02) and fat trim in the forequarter (p = 0.04) compared to the LG group. The HP group tended to have greater dry matter intake (p = 0.08), LMA (p = 0.05), rump fat (p = 0.04), heavier striploins (p = 0.07), tenderloins (p = 0.09) and briskets (p = 0.08) compared with LP group. In conclusion, the selection based on divergent groups PWDG or PP14 has a small impact on performance, carcass and meat quality traits.

Highlights

Animal growth-based research over the past 50 years has had a dramatic impact in meat production, while the use of genetic selection for growth has resulted in profound increases in livestock production [1]
No differences between growth groups were observed for DMI, G:F and Hot carcass weight (HCW); HG animals had higher (p = 0.021) dressing percentage compared to LG cattle
No differences between groups were observed for kidney-pelvic fat (KPF) values both expressed in kg or as a percentage of HCW

Summary

Introduction

Animal growth-based research over the past 50 years has had a dramatic impact in meat production, while the use of genetic selection for growth has resulted in profound increases in livestock production [1]. Growth traits, such as body weight (BW) and weight gain, have been widely used as selection criteria in beef cattle breeding programs because measurements can be collected on the farm and are highly heritable and relatively well correlated with carcass and several production traits [2,3]. Brunes et al [8] observed that subcutaneous fat thickness showed the highest discriminant power for heifer early pregnancy, probably due the effect of fatness level on reproduction

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