Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-ndw9j Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-02T22:26:30.862Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Evaluation of British Friesian, Canadian Holstein and beef breed × British Friesian steers slaughtered over a commercial range of fatness from 16-month and 24-month beef production systems 1. Live-weight gain and efficiency of food utilization

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

J. R. Southgate ,
G. L. Cook  and
A. J. Kempster
J. R. Southgate
Affiliation:
Meat and Livestock Commission, PO Box 44, Queensway House, Bletchley, Milton Keynes MK2 2EF
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
Get access

Abstract

The live-weight gain (LWG) and efficiency of food utilization of purebred British Friesian and Canadian Holstein steers and of crossbred steers out of British Friesian dams by Charolais, Hereford, Limousin, Lincoln Red, Simmental, South Devon and Sussex sires were examined in two beef production systems. One was similar to the commercial 18-month grass/cereal system (16-month) and the other to a commercial 2-year system (24-month). The cattle were serially slaughtered at three levels of fatness covering the commercial range and determined by the use of the Scanogram ultrasonic machine. The trial extended over 4 years and involved a total of 650 cattle. Data for the two production systems were analysed separately. Changes in growth performance were examined relative to estimated carcass subcutaneous fat content (g/kg; SFC) and sire breed crosses compared at the mean fatness level within system: 65 g/kg SFe for 16-month and 74 g/kg SFe for 24-month.

Sire breed differences were not detected (P > 0·05) in the regressions on SFe of age and live weight at slaughter, overall daily LWG and overall efficiency of weight gain. Pooled within sire breed, live at slaughter and age at slaughter increased by 2·5 kg and 2·8 days (16-month) and 2·2 kg and 2·1 days (24-month) for each g/kg increase in SFe.

Charolais crosses and Canadian Holsteins were heaviest at equal SFC in both systems, but the latter were 63 days older (16-month) and 42 days older (24-month): Hereford, Lincoln Red and Sussex crosses were lightest and among the youngest in both systems.

Sire breed crosses differed significantly in daily LWG: Charolais crosses grew fastest in both systems; the relative growth rate of other sire breed crosses was less consistent between the two although the Hereford crosses and British Friesians grew slowly in both systems. Overall efficiency of LWG (g gain per kg digestible organic matter intake) ranged from 164 to 205 (16-month) and 146 to 171 (24-month). Canadian Holsteins and British Friesians had the lowest efficiency of LWG in both systems of production; differences between the other breeds were not statistically significant (P > 0·05).

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 46 , Issue 3 , June 1988 , pp. 353 - 364
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1988

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Cook, K. N. and Newton, J. M. 1979. A comparison of Canadian Holstein and British Friesian steers for the production of beef from an 18-month grass/cereal system. Animal Production 28: 41–47.Google Scholar
Kempster, A. J., Chadwick, J. P. and Charles, D. D. 1986a. Estimation of the carcass composition of different cattle breeds and crosses from fatness measurements and visual assessments. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 106: 223–237.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kempster, A. J., Cook, G. L. and Grantley-Smith, M. 1986b. National estimates of the body composition of British cattle, sheep and pigs with special reference to trends in fatness. A review. Meat Science 17: 107–138.Google ScholarPubMed
Kempster, A. J., Cook, G. L. and Southgate, J. R. 1982. A comparison of the progeny of British Friesian dams and different sire breeds in 16- and 24-month beef production systems. 2. Carcass characteristics, and rate and efficiency of meat gain. Animal Production 34: 167–178.Google Scholar
Kempster, A. J., Cook, G. L. and Southgate, J. R. 1988. Evaluation of British Friesian, Canadian Holstein and beef breed × British Friesian steers, slaughtered over a commercial range of fatness from 16-month and 24-month beef production systems. 2. Carcass characteristics, and rate and efficiency of lean gain. Animal Production 46: 365–378.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kempster, A. J. and Owen, M. G. 1981. A note on the accuracy of an ultrasonic technique for selecting cattle of different breeds for slaughter at equal fatness. Animal Production 32: 113–115.Google Scholar
Limousin and Simmental Tests Steering Committee. 1976. Report of the evaluation of the first importation into Great Britain in 1970/71 of Limousin bulls from France and Simmental bulls from Germany and Switzerland. Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London.Google Scholar
Milk Marketing Board. 1987. Report of the Breeding and Production Organisation, No. 37. Milk Marketing Board, Thames Ditton.Google Scholar
Rowlinson, P., Baber, P. L., Willis, M. B. and Chalmers, A. J. 1984. A comparison of Canadian Holstein × British Friesian and British Friesian steers for beef production. 1. On-farm performance. Animal Production 38: 399–405.Google Scholar
Solly, K. J., Kempster, A. J. and Southgate, J. R. 1987. Fat growth and its partition between depots in crossbred steers by different sire breeds. Animal Production 44: 474 (Abstr.).Google Scholar
Southgate, J. R., Cook, G. L. and Kempster, A. J. 1982. A comparison of the progeny of British Friesian dams and different sire breeds in 16- and 24-month beef production systems. 1. Live-weight gain and efficiency of food utilization. Animal Production 34: 155–166.Google Scholar
Tas, M. V. and Scott, B. M. 1982. Evaluation of Holstein steers for beef production. Experimental Husbandry 38: 184–196.Google Scholar
Winer, B. J. 1971. Statistical Principles in Experimental Design, p. 216. McGraw-Hill, New York.Google Scholar