Comparison of meat performance of Montbeliarde and Czech Pied bulls fattened to live weight of 680 kg

Abstract

Czech Pied bulls (C, n=18) and Montbeliarde bulls (M, n=18) were fattened up to the live weight of 680 kg in identical conditions with the aim to compare their meat performance. Mean values of the observed meat performance characteristics were as follows: slaughter weight 682.1 kg, age at slaughter 593.8 days, daily weight gain 1.088 kg, carcass weight 378.2 kg, net weight gain 0.640 kg, dressing percentage 55.4%, weight of hide 59.3 kg, weight of head and tongue 20.6 kg, weight and proportion of kidney fat 14.9 kg and 2.18%, carcass conformation score 3.06, carcass fatness score 2.20 and weight of the right side of carcass 185.9 kg. The weight and proportion of some parts of the right side of carcass were as follows: forequarter 84.1 kg and 45.2%, hindquarter 101.8 kg and 54.8%, total weight of meat 145.5 kg and 78.2%, bones 35.0 kg and 18.9%, separable fat 3.87 kg and 2.08% and hindquarter to forequarter ratio 1.21. Montbeliarde bulls showed a significantly greater (POur results showed higher growth rate in Montbeliarde bulls; also, their further growth potential was higher than in Czech Pied bulls. The rest of the observed characteristics of meat performance, including carcass composition, were similar in both breeds and were not negatively affected by a high slaughter weight.

Keywords

• Czech Pied Cattle
• Montbeliarde
• beef
• meat performance
• carcass value