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The estimation of killing out in cattle from knowledge of breed, and visual appraisal of external fat cover and conformation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

P. J. Bailey ,
G. L. Cook ,
A. J. Kempster  and
A. G. Sains
P. J. Bailey
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture, Victoria, PO Box 4041, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia
G. L. Cook
Affiliation:
Meat and Livestock Commission, PO Box 44, Queensway House, Bletchley, Milton Keynes MK2 2EF
A. J. Kempster
Affiliation:
Meat and Livestock Commission, PO Box 44, Queensway House, Bletchley, Milton Keynes MK2 2EF
A. G. Sains
Affiliation:
Meat and Livestock Commission, PO Box 44, Queensway House, Bletchley, Milton Keynes MK2 2EF
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Abstract

Data for a total of 3715 cattle from four sources were used to examine the relative importance of live weight at slaughter, and visual assessments of carcass conformation and subcutaneous fat cover, as predictors of killing out. The sources were the Meat and Livestock Commission's beef breed evaluation programme (1689 steers of different breeds and crosses), the beef demonstration unit at the National Agricultural Centre, Stoneleigh (814 commercial dairy-bred cattle), an East Anglian abattoir (405 commercial cattle) and the Milk Marketing Board's Warren Farm (807 dairy-bred steers by different sire breeds). An assessment of live body conformation was also examined as a predictor in the Warren Farm data.

Carcass conformation provided a more precise prediction of killing out than did either live weight or subcutaneous fat score. Regression coefficients in the different groups ranged from 5·4 to 12·0 g/kg for each increase in conformation class (six-point scale). The live conformation assessment was a less precise predictor (within sire breed residual s.d. = 17·7 g/kg) than the carcass assessment (15·6 g/kg).

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 38 , Issue 3 , June 1984 , pp. 391 - 398
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1984

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References

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