Welsh Black Research Articles

Variation among beef breeds in carcass retail value at constant carcass saleable meat content and percentage of higher priced cuts

Data from the single slaughter point trials of the Meat and Livestock Commission's (MLC) beef breed evaluation programme were used to examine the importance of retail value (RV) calculation in breed evaluation trials. The analysis involved a total of 2010 carcasses comprising four production system groups. Sire breeds included Aberdeen-Angus, British Friesian, Charolais, Devon, Hereford, Galloway, Limousin, Lincoln Red, Luing, Simmental, South Devon, Sussex and Welsh Black. RV was computed as the sum of the values of trimmed deboned primal joints expressed as pence per kilogram of carcass weight. 1981 prices from MLC's Retail Prices Survey for England and Wales were used. A model was fitted to the RV data for each of the production system groups with effects for sire breed, year and sire breed × year interaction, and with regression on saleable meat percentage in carcass (SM). The largest difference recorded between sire breeds was 2·1 pence/kg (0·85% of overall mean RV). The pooled within-system residual standard deviation after fitting the model was 1·4 pence/kg. When regression on the percentage of total saleable meat in the higher priced cuts (SMD) was added to the model, the corresponding range and residual standard deviation were reduced to 1·0 and 0·8 pence/kg, respectively. In the circumstances, the calculation of RV would, therefore, make only a minor refinement to the results.

A comparison of different breeds and crosses from the suckler herd 1. Live-weight growth and efficiency of food utilization

Live-weight growth and efficiency of food utilization of purebred Galloway, Luing and Welsh Black steers, and crossbred steers out of Blue-Grey and Hereford × Friesian dams by Aberdeen-Angus, Charolais, Devon, Hereford, Limousin, Lincoln Red, Simmental, South Devon and Sussex sires, were examined in two suckled calf fattening systems. In one system, autumn-born calves were purchased at 1 year of age and fattened during their second winter; the other system involved late winter-born calves, which were purchased at 7 months of age, overwintered on a cheap growing diet and fattened during their second summer. The trial involved a total of 1430 cattle and extended over 5 years (winter system) and 6 years (summer system).Cattle were slaughtered as close as possible to a standard carcass subcutaneous fat concentration.The data for crossbred and purebred cattle were analysed separately within the fattening system using least squares models, which included effects for year, sire breed and dam breed, and with regression on the age at beginning of the trial and carcass subcutaneous fat concentration estimated by visual appraisal.Breed differences in live weight at slaughter were similar to those recorded in the Meat and Livestock Commission's on-farm recording work. Among crossbreds, the larger sire breeds consumed more food per day, generally grew faster and were older at slaughter.They did not differ significantly in the efficiency with which food was converted into live-weight gain. Among the purebreds, the Luing had a relatively high daily food intake in relation to its growth rate and, together with the Welsh Black in the summer fattening system, was less efficient than the Galloway (P<0·05).

A comparison of different breeds and crosses from the suckler herd 2. Carcass characteristics

ABSTRACTA comparison was made of the carcass characteristics of purebred Galloway, Luing and Welsh Black steers, and crossbred steers out of Blue-Grey and Hereford × Friesian dams by Aberdeen-Angus, Charolais, Devon, Hereford, Limousin, Lincoln Red, Simmental, South Devon and Sussex sires, in winter and summer fattening systems. A total of 1430 cattle were involved and the trial extended over 6 years.The cattle were slaughtered when their fatness was estimated, using the Scanogram ultrasonic machine, to be in fat class 3L of the Meat and Livestock Commission Beef Carcase Classification Scheme. Carcasses were evaluated using a standardized commercial cutting technique.The data for crossbred and purebred cattle were analysed separately within the fattening system using leastsquares models, which included effects for year, sire breed and dam breed, and with regression on age at the beginning of the trial and carcass subcutaneous fat concentration estimated by visual appraisal.Limousin and Charolais crosses killed out best. Their carcass weights were, on average, 20g/kg live weight heavier than those of Aberdeen-Angus, Devon, Hereford and Lincoln Red crosses. There was a range of 20 to 30 g/kg carcass weight between sire breeds in carcass saleable meat yield: the highest values were recorded for the Limousin crosses (evaluated on winter fattening only) followed by Charolais and Aberdeen-Angus crosses; Lincoln Red crosses had the lowest values among the crossbreds and Luing cattle among the purebreds. These differences were more a reflexion of differences in fat trim than of differences in meat to bone ratio.Continental sire breeds had significantly more of their total saleable meat in the higher-priced cuts (P<0·05), although the range between sire breeds was only 15 g/kg.

THE ECONOMICS OF HIGH‐CONCENTRATE BEEF PRODUCTION AS AFFECTED BY BREED‐TYPE, SEX, SUPPLEMENTARY HAY AND TYPE OF CEREAL

This paper presents the economic implications of an experiment to compare pure Friesian, Welsh Black x Friesian and Charolais x Friesian steers and heifers given high‐concentrate diets of protein, mineral, supplemented ground barley, fed with or without a pound of hay daily, or supplemented ground maize fed with a pound of hay. The favourable economic conditions that brought about a rapid spread of high‐concentrate feeding and the subsequent development of unfavourable conditions are briefly reviewed. The physical results of the experiment are presented and are followed by the main body of the paper which consists of applying economic data to the results to obtain gross‐margin and profit per animal and annual profit per animal space. Besides the experimental treatments, the effects of cereal, carcass and calf prices and the effect of E.E.C. marketing conditions are discussed.

Effect of breed, sex, type of cereal and supplementary hay upon the performance of beef cattle given high-concentrate diets

1. In a 2×3×3 factorial experiment a total of seventy-two female or castrated pure Friesian, Charolais × Friesian and Welsh Black × Friesian cattle were fed individually and ad libitum on three diets from 200 lb to slaughter at 800 or 900 lb, depending on sex. The diets were ground barley (87%) and protein-mineral-vitamin supplement (13%) given with or without 1 lb of hay per animal daily, or ground maize (87%) and supplement (13%) given with 1 lb of hay daily.2. The three breed-types differed significantly in growth rate and feed conversion efficiency. Gaining at 2·66 lb/day and converting 4·56 lb of meal into 1 lb live-weight gain, the Charolais crosses grew 7·7 % faster than pure Friesians and consumed 14·1% less meal per unit gain. Welsh Black crosses made 9·3% less rapid gains and required 7·7 % more meal per unit gain than pure Friesians. The disparity between the three breedtypes increased with increasing liveweight.

Some Observations on the Secondary Sex Ratio in a Group of Dairy Shorthorn and Welsh Black Cattle

The heavy wastage occurring in many dairy herds adds importance to the question of sex ratio in cattle, and it becomes an important factor in herds where it is desired to use only home bred cattle, as in herds free from tuberculosis and contagious abortion. The information required for the present investigation was obtained from Private Herd Books, particulars being taken as to sex of calf, month of birth and whether or not it was a first calf. Herds ravaged by contagious abortion were excluded, and also others if it was considered that there might have been neglect in entering births in the private herd book.

Comparison of dairy shorthorn and Welsh black cattle as milk producers; and effect of time of calving on the yield of milk

The investigations described in the present paper are based on the records of the dairy herd at the farm of the University College of North Wales, at Aber near Bangor. The results obtained will have a more definite significance if some account is given of the nature and management of that herd.The Bangor provincial area, including the four Northern Counties of Wales, is roughly divided into Welsh Black and Shorthorn country by the Conway River. Most of the cattle in Anglesey and Caernarvonshire are of Welsh Black type, and the ordinary non-pedigree dual purpose type of Shorthorn predominates in Denbighshire and Flintshire.