The Effect of Growth Rate on Some Beef Performance Characteristics of Czech Fleckvieh Heifers

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of growth rate on some beef performance characteristics in Czech Fleckvieh heifers. Growth performance characteristics included age at slaughter (months) and daily weight gain (g). The observed beef performance characteristics were carcass weight, conformation class (SEUROP) and external fat deposition. The experimental group consisted of 480 heifers. The animals were assigned into three groups (A, B, C) based on age at slaughter. Group A consisted of 68 animals with the age at slaughter 15–21 months, group B 296 animals, age 22–28 months and group C 116 animals, age 29–35 months. A greater age at slaughter was significantly associated with a greater carcass weight which grew from 250.78 kg in group A to 317.69 kg in group C. The net weight gain decreased with age from 424.06 g in group A to 346.41 g in group C, the conformation improved from 4.46 in group A to 4.17 in group C and the external fat deposition increased from 2.5 in group A to 2.78 in group C. The dataset was again split into three groups differing in the daily weight gain (I, II, III). Group I consisted of 120 heifers with the daily gain up to 599 g, group II 303 animals with the daily gain of 600–799 g and group III only 57 animals with the gain of 800 g and more. A growing weight gain was significantly associated with a greater carcass weight (from 260.40 kg in group I to 338.66 in group III), a greater net weight gain (from 306.29 g in group I to 491.45 g in group III), improved conformation (from 4.75 in group I to 3.70 in group III) and the fat deposition was greater, too (from 2.35 in group I to 2.89 in group III).