Growth and carcass characteristics of ram, cryptorchid and wether Border Leicester x Merino lambs: effects of increasing carcass weight.

1986 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 153 ◽  
Author(s):  
GJ Lee

The growth and carcass characteristics of first-cross Border Leicester x Merino ram, cryptorchid and wether lambs were compared over a range of slaughter weights (35-55 kg). Lambs were offered feed ad libitum after weaning. The growth rate of wether lambs (221 g/day) was less (P< 0.01) than that of rams and cryptorchids (308 and 280 g/day respectively, P = 0.076). The dressed carcasses of the wether lambs were approximately 2 percentage units heavier than those of the ram and cryptorchids, but this difference was partly due to the weight of the testes. Across all sex groups, dressing percentage increased by 0.46 percentage units per kg increase in carcass weight. The carcasses of rams and cryptorchid lambs tended to be leaner than those of wethers. Fat score distributions, based on export standards, were such that wethers scored higher (fatter) than rams and cryptorchids (P< 0.05). There was a significant sexx carcass weight interaction with GR tissue depths. Above 17 kg carcass weight, tissue depth of wether lambs was greater than those of the other sex types. Of 12 families assessing consumer acceptability (taste, smell, size, fatness and tenderness) of leg roasts, the majority showed no preference for any of the sexes.

1991 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 307 ◽  
Author(s):  
LP Thatcher ◽  
B Warren ◽  
PJ Nicholls

Lambs from the Poll Dorset x (Border Leicester x Merino) cross were raised from a late lambing in 1983 (a year when pastures grew unchecked and had high clover content) and 1984 (a year with intermittent dry periods and a low clover content in pastures). Multivariate repeated measures analyses were used to compare growth rates for rams, wethers and ewes within 2 periods of growth in 1983, and 4 in 1984. In all stages rams grew significantly faster than wethers and ewes, whereas wether growth rate exceeded that of ewes in only 3 stages. In general, when pasture availability and quality was high, rams grew faster than wethers by 0.3 kg/week and ewes by 0.5 kg/week. The rams grew 0.16 kg/week faster when pasture availability was limiting for a period in winter but lost significant (P<0.01) body condition, whilst ewes maintained both weight and condition. When good quality feed was again available, rams gained more weight than wethers, as did wethers compared with ewes, while rams and wethers gained more condition than ewes. Carcass weight and fatness, measured either as indicators of fat (GR measurement or fat score) or as total subcutaneous fat, could be predicted from assessments made on live lambs. Full liveweight, sex and year explained 41% of variation in GR, 48% in fat score and 79% in subcutaneous fat. Condition score, sex and year explained 45% of variation in GR, 52% in fat score and 57% in subcutaneous fat. Full liveweight, condition score, sex and year explained 80% of the variation in subcutaneous fat, 47% in GR and 57% in fat score. An interaction of sex with full liveweight in predicting carcass weight and subcutaneous fat indicated that as carcass size increased, the sex of the lamb became an increasingly important consideration when assessing characteristics important in describing lamb carcasses. Dressing percentage decreased by 0.08/kg as liveweight increased. This result was consistent over the 2 years, with opportunities for error being assessed and eliminated in the second year. Notwithstanding that this was an unimportant loss in real terms, published information showed an increase in dressing percentage with liveweight.


1982 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 157 ◽  
Author(s):  
DG Taylor

Two trials, each involving four Hereford and four Friesian steers, were finalized with the slaughtering of the animals and comparison of their carcass characteristics and meat quality. One trial involved hand-feeding the animals to achieve a constant liveweight gain of 0.68 kg/day from 6 months of age to slaughter at 15 months of age; the other trial used animals of the same age, but on ad libitum feeding. Carcass data substantiated the subjective observation that the Friesian carcasses were longer, less compact and displayed less desirable 'beef type' conformation than those of the Hereford. The dressing percentage of the Friesians was significantly (P < 0.01) lower than that of the Herefords. The Hereford carcasses had a significantly greater fat content than the Friesians, but lower percentages of both muscle and bone. The Hereford produced the greater yield of boneless retail meat (not fat trimmed), which could be attributed to their greater carcass fat and lower carcass bone content. The meat from both breeds was of equivalent palatability when assessed subjectively for tenderness, juiciness and flavour, and objectively for tenderness.


1977 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 755 ◽  
Author(s):  
HL Davies

Twenty-one Friesian steers were grown to a final fasted liveweight of 469 kg. Seven of the steers grazed irrigated ryegrass-white clover pastures, seven steers were fed on a high energy ration ad libitum, and seven were given a ration of the same composition as the second group but at a restricted amount such that the growth rate was similar to that of the grazing steers. There were no significant differences in carcass weight between the three groups. The dressing percentage of the grain ad libitum group was 58%, the restricted grain group 57% and the pasture group 55%. The dressing percentage was significantly lower (P < 0.05) in the pasture group. The grain ad libitum group had 51.5% more (P < 0.05) oaental fat than the pasture group, and the restricted group 28.9% more (P < 0.05) than the pasture group. In dissections of the 9th, 10th and 11th ribs the grain ad lib. group had 35.4% fat, the restricted grain group 32.8% and the pasture group 26.5%, the proportion of fat being significantly (P < 0.05) lower in the pasture group than in the grain ad lib. group. No significant differences were found in either tenderness, juiciness or flavour between the three groups.


1964 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 249-256 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Hidiroglou ◽  
L. A. Charette ◽  
J. S. Patterson

The influence of breed of sire on carcass traits was examined by studying data collected on 134 steers produced by mating Shorthorn cows with Shorthorn, Angus, Hereford, and Charolais bulls. The steers were fed out in two groups: one group was slaughtered at 18 to 23 months as they reached a live weight of 900–1000 lb and the other group at approximately 30 months of age. In each group the steers sired by Charolais bulls gained more rapidly, possessed more bone, produced heavier carcass weight, and showed largest eye muscle measurements. There were no appreciable differences among the crosses within the sire groups represented by the British breeds except that Hereford × Shorthorn surpassed Angus × Shorthorn and Shorthorn in growth rate significantly and for a slight superiority in marbling for the Angus compared with the Shorthorn.


1984 ◽  
Vol 64 (3) ◽  
pp. 597-611
Author(s):  
G. W. RAHNEFELD ◽  
H. T. FREDEEN ◽  
G. M. WEISS ◽  
J. A. NEWMAN ◽  
J. E. LAWSON

Carcass characteristics of 3673 steers and heifers born over a 6-yr period from 1973 to 1978 at Brandon, Manitoba (farm conditions) and Manyberries, Alberta (range conditions) were compared. Calves weaned at Manyberries were fed and evaluated at Lacombe, Alberta. The progeny produced were out of 10 specific F1 crosses of dam mated to bulls of the Charolais (C), Simmental (S), Limousin (L) and Chianina (Chi) breeds. Dam crosses included the Hereford × Angus (HA) and crosses sired by C, S and L sires out of H, A and Shorthorn (N) dams. The progeny from SN dams (Brandon) and the three S-cross dams (Lacombe) had the highest carcass weight per day of age and the progeny from LH dams (Brandon) and L dams (Lacombe) the lowest and equal to progeny from HA dams. The progeny from LN dams (Brandon) and the three L-cross dams (Lacombe) had the highest dressing percentage and the progeny from the SH dams the lowest and equal to the HA progeny. The progeny from HA dams at both locations had greater levels of average rib fat than progeny from the exotic-cross dams. At both locations, the largest rib eye area/wt (cm2/kg) was recorded by progeny from the LA dams and the smallest by progeny from the SN and CN dams and they did not differ from the HA progeny. The progeny from all exotic-cross dams at both locations recorded a higher proportion of round than progeny from the HA dams with the highest proportions being recorded by the progeny from LH dams (Brandon) and progeny from CH, CN and SN dams (Lacombe). The progeny from HA dams (Lacombe) exceeded the progeny from all exotic-cross dams in the proportion of long loin while the progeny from HA dams (Brandon) exceeded the progeny from CA, CN and SN dams. In percentage of lean in the round, the progeny from CN, SH and SN dams (Brandon) and SN dams (Lacombe) were the lowest and equal to progeny from the HA dams. The progeny from HA dams at both locations generally had the lowest percentage of bone in the long loin with progeny from the SN dams (Brandon) and progeny from CH dams (Lacombe) recording the highest percentage. The progeny from the SN and CH dams (Brandon) and the progeny from the SH and SN dams (Lacombe) recorded the highest percentage bone in the round with the progeny from CA, CN and LN dams (Brandon) and progeny from CA, SA, LH and LN dams (Lacombe) the lowest and equal to the progeny from HA dams. The progeny from exotic cross dams at both locations exceeded the progeny from HA dams in percentage lean per day of age for the combined trait long loin and round. The progeny from L-cross dams (Lacombe) had the highest lean-to-bone ratio of the combined trait long loin and round with the progeny from HA dams intermediate and equal to the progeny from the other dam crosses. At Brandon, the progeny from the LA dams had the highest lean-to-bone ratio with the progeny from the CH, CA, CN, SA and LH the lowest and equal to the HA progeny. Dam by year, dam by sex, year by sex and the genetic interaction involving breed of sire and breed of dam were not statistically significant. Key words: Cattle, breeds, carcass, cuts, composition


2016 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 341-352 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jivko Nakev ◽  
Teodora Popova ◽  
Maya Ignatova ◽  
Penka Marinova ◽  
Tania Nikolova

The aim of our study was to assess the dynamics of the characteristics in pig carcasses as affected by the season and year of slaughter. A total of 106 027 carcasses of growing-finishing pigs of commercial production, slaughtered in the same abattoir in 2014 and 2015 were included in the study. The carcasses were classified using UltraFOM 200 device, as the characteristics controlled were back-fat thickness at two locations and the depth of m. Longissimus dorsi. These measurements were used to further determine the lean meat percentage. The results of the study showed significant differences in the dynamics of changes of carcass characteristics during the seasons and the years. The highest lean meat percentage was found in summer (56.48%), followed by spring (56.34%), autumn (56.29%) and winter (56.10%). On the other hand, the pigs slaughtered in winter displayed highest carcass weight and back-fat thickness at both locations.


1995 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 461 ◽  
Author(s):  
DL Hopkins ◽  
PJ Holst ◽  
DG Hall

Objective and subjective tests for quality were performed on the meat from 40 cryptorchid second-cross lambs fed lucerne only (L; n = 8), lucerne plus an oat grain supplement ad libitum (LO; n = lo), lucerne plus wilted lucerne silage ad libitum (LS; n = 11), or an oat-lupin grain (3:1) supplement at 90% of ad libitum while grazing dry summer annual pasture (OL; n = 11). All carcasses complied with the Elite lamb specification of weight >22 kg and GR measurement 6-15 mm. There was no significant difference between groups for hot carcass weight, the mean (� s.e) values being 25.1 0.43, 25.2 � 0.36,25.2 � 0.38, and 25.3 � 0.36 kg for L, LS, LO, and OL groups, respectively. When the GR and fat depth over the eye muscle at the 12th rib were adjusted to a common carcass weight of 25.2 kg there was no significant difference between groups. There was no significant difference between groups for pH, or the colour values a*, b*, and L* of the M. longissimus thoracis et lumborum (a* is relative redness, b* relative yellowness, and L* relative lightness). The shear force values for the loin muscle were significantly (P<0.05) greater for lambs from group OL than for those from group LO. Cooking loss for the loin muscle was significantly (P<0.05) greater for OL lambs than all other groups. A comparison of the mean values for aroma and flavour showed the lambs from group OL produced meat that was considered significantly (P<0.05) less desirable for these characteristics, with other groups being similar. Meat from OL-fed lambs was considered oilier and less meaty than meat from lambs fed the other diets. There was a significant (P<0.05) difference in absolute scores between panellists, but their ranking was not affected and there was no panellist x sample interaction. Because many producers use grain supplements such as oats and lupins for finishing lambs on dry forages, further study is recommended that focuses on the interaction between supplement and the base forage.


1986 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 527
Author(s):  
JC Spragg ◽  
RC Kellaway ◽  
TJ Kempton

Effects of cottonseed meal and cereal grain supplements on intake and utilisation of alkali-treated wheat straw were studied with 45 Friesian heifers (250 kg liveweight) in individual pens. Responses were measured in terms of feed intake and growth rate over 60 days. The basal diet fed ad libitum was coarsely milled wheat straw which was alkali-treated, sprayed with a solution containing urea, sulfur, copper and cobalt and sprinkled with dicalcium phosphate. Animals were also fed 800 g/day of 1 of 5 supplements: cottonseed meal (CSM), whole barley (WB), cracked barley (CB), ammonia-treated whole barley (NB) and extruded barley (EB). Intakes of the basal diet did not differ significantly between groups. Digestible organic matter in dry matter (%) was 53.1, 51.7, 47.2, 47.7, and 48.7 with supplements CSM, CB, WB, NB and EB, respectively; values for CSM and CB were significantly higher than for the other supplements (P< 0.05). Liveweight gains were 891,761,639, 657 and 784 g/day with the respective supplements, and did not differ significantly between CSM, CB and EB. We concluded that CSM did not stimulate intake of roughage more than supplements of barley grain, and that growth of the cattle was limited primarily by intake of energy.


1983 ◽  
Vol 23 (122) ◽  
pp. 228 ◽  
Author(s):  
MPB Deland ◽  
RW Ponzoni ◽  
RW McNeil

Hereford, Charolais and Brahman sires were mated to Hereford, Shorthorn, Jersey and Friesian xshorthorn cows for four successive years from June 1969 at Struan Research Centre in South Australia. Assistance was given during 15 .9% of calvings resulting from Charolais sires, 6.8% resulting from Brahman sires and 2.1% from Hereford sires (differences statistically significant, P < 0 05). A greater percentage of Friesian x Shorthorn (13.8) than of Shorthorn (5.0) or Jersey (4 3) cows were assisted at birth (P< 0.05). There were no significant differences between the percentage of Hereford cows assisted (10.9) and that of any of the other dam breeds. There were no significant differences in calf mortality among sire breeds or among dam breeds. Charolais-sired calves were heavier at birth, 270,340 and 430 d old and had heavier (1 95 kg) carcasses with a smaller proportion of fat than Brahman- and Hereford-sired carcasses (180 and 167 kg respectively) at 430d old. Brahman-sired calves were heavier than Hereford-sired calves at birth, 370, 430 d old. However, they were significantly lighter at 270 d old. Hereford cows gave birth to significantly heavier calves than Shorthorn and Jersey cows but there were no clear differences due to dam breed in growth rates of calves, carcass weights or composition. It was concluded that the use of Charolais sires in the lower South East of South Australia can result in significant increases in the growth rate of slaughter cattle and in the production of leaner carcasses. Brahman sires did not exhibit clear advantages over Hereford sires. No definite conclusions could be drawn about the dam breeds examined in the study.


2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 127-128
Author(s):  
Caitlin A Coulson ◽  
Bradley M Boyd ◽  
Henry Hilscher ◽  
Brandon L Nuttelman ◽  
Grant I Crawford ◽  
...  

Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the optimal time to reimplant following an initial implant on performance and carcass characteristics when steers were fed for 180 d. Crossbred steers (n = 800; initial BW = 330 ± 25 kg) were utilized in a generalized randomized block design and assigned randomly to pen, and pen assigned randomly to one of five treatments. Treatments included 5 different days on terminal (DOT) implant (160, 120, 100, 80 or 40 DOT). All steers were given an initial implant (80 mg trenbolone acetate (TBA) + 16 mg estradiol; Revalor-IS) on d 1. Terminal implant consisted of 200 mg TBA + 20 mg estradiol (Revalor-200). Dry matter intake was the least for 40 DOT (P ≤ 0.04), with no differences between the other treatments (P ≥ 0.11). Carcass-adjusted final BW responded quadratically (P = 0.03) with 100 DOT having the greatest final BW but was not different from 120 DOT (P = 0.82). Carcass-adjusted ADG and G:F responded quadratically (P = 0.02 and P < 0.01, respectively). When solved for the first derivative, carcass-adjusted ADG and G:F were maximized at 99 and 87 DOT, respectively. However, there was less than a 2% difference in carcass-adjusted ADG and G:F between 80 and 120 DOT. Hot carcass weight responded quadratically (P = 0.03), with the greatest HCW at 100 DOT. Solving for the first derivative, HCW was optimized at 104 DOT. There were no differences in back fat, marbling, or yield grade (P ≥ 0.27). Overall, administering an initial implant followed by a terminal implant 85 to 105 d prior to harvest increased gain, efficiency, and HCW in steers when fed for 180 d. Minimal changes in performance and carcass characteristics when steers are reimplanted 80 to 120 d prior to harvest suggests flexibility in reimplanting windows.


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