Carcass characteristics of feedlot-finished Nellore heifers slaughtered at different weights
Rezende, Pedro Leonardo de Paula; Restle, João; Bilego, Ubirajara Oliveira; Fernandes, Juliano José de Resende; Missio, Regis Luis; Guimarães, Tiago Pereira.
Acta sci., Anim. sci;
41: e44826, jul. 2019. tab
Artigo
em Inglês
| VETINDEX
| ID: vti-21626
Resumo
Carcass and meat characteristics of 48 Nellore heifers at 24 to 30 months of age, with an initial weight of 263.4 ± 13.9 kg, were evaluated. The experiment was set up as a completely randomized design with four treatments, which consisted of four slaughter-weight classes, namely 400 kg. Back fat thickness was not influenced (p > 0.05) by slaughter weight in any of the forms it was expressed (mm or %), averaging 5.3 mm. Loin eye area in cm2 increased (p < 0.05) with the increase in slaughter weight. Animals slaughtered at a live weight (LW) of more than 400 kg showed better (p < 0.05) carcass conformation than the other experimental groups (9.8 points). Heifers slaughtered at over 400 kg LW had a more compact (p < 0.05) carcass (1.65 cm kg-1 cold carcass). The marbling degree of meat was lower (p < 0.05) in the animals slaughtered at less than 340 kg LW. In conclusion, cull heifers must not be slaughtered at a LW of less than 340 kg and slaughter weights greater than 400 kg have positive implications on important carcass characteristics, notably conformation and marbling.(AU)
Biblioteca responsável:
BR68.1
Localização: BR68.1
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