Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine the effect of cattle breed on carcass traits and meat quality of bulls fattened semi-intensively and slaughtered at 18 months of age. The animals were divided into three experimental groups: Group AA - 16 Angus bulls, group WK - 19 Kazakh White headed bulls, group AK - 20 Kazakh Aulie-Ata bulls. All bulls were slaughtered at the end of the fattening period. Angus bulls had the highest (p≤0.05) final body weight (494.9 kg) at 18 months of age. Average daily gain was also highest (p≤0.01 and p≤0.05) in group AA (863 g). Angus bulls were characterized by the highest carcass dressing percentage (56.8%) and the highest fat content (3.4%). Carcass length and thigh circumference were significantly (p≤0.05) higher in AA bulls than in AK bulls. The content of lean meat and fat in the carcass was highest (79.4%, p≤0.05) in AA bulls and lowest in AK bulls. Samples of semitendinosus muscle collected from AA bulls had the highest content of dry matter (24.89%), protein (22.5%) and fat (2.27%, p≤0.05).
Highlights
Many beef cattle breeds are renowned for their high productivity and ability to produce high-quality beef that meets consumer requirements (Bindon and Jones, 2001; Burrow et al, 2004; Nogalski et al, 2013)
The fattening performance of animals is determined based on their body weights and average daily gains
The highest body weight achieved by Angus bulls indicates that this breed is best suited for semi-intensive fattening
Summary
Many beef cattle breeds are renowned for their high productivity and ability to produce high-quality beef that meets consumer requirements (Bindon and Jones, 2001; Burrow et al, 2004; Nogalski et al, 2013). Limousin and Hereford cattle, which are purchased from Europe, Canada, USA and Australia, are raised for beef in Kazakhstan. Modern nutritional strategies in cattle production promote intensive fattening and lean tissue growth (Sami et al, 2004b; Młynek and Guliński, 2007). Nutrition should be adjusted to match the genetic potential of cattle in order to produce beef carcasses with desirable tissue composition (Litwińczuk et al, 2012). Studies investigating the influence of cattle nutrition on meat quality, conducted to date, have focused on maximizing muscle tissue growth and carcass yield as well as on the supply of nutrients that could be potentially absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract and incorporated into cell structures to enhance the nutritional and biological value of meat (Granit et al, 2001; Wood et al, 2004). Studies investigating the influence of cattle nutrition on meat quality, conducted to date, have focused on maximizing muscle tissue growth and carcass yield as well as on the supply of nutrients that could be potentially absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract and incorporated into cell structures to enhance the nutritional and biological value of meat (Granit et al, 2001; Wood et al, 2004). Nogalski and Kijak (2001) demonstrated that crossbred bulls (Holstein-Friesian cows mated to Limousin, Hereford and Simmental bulls) fed semi-intensively
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