Livestock Studies 1997, Vol 37, Num, 2     (Pages: 001-022)

Commercial Crossbreeding of Jersey Cows for Beef Production Using Brangus, Limousin and Simmental Sires. II. Fattening, Slaughtering and Carcass Characteristics

Ceyhan ÖZBEYAZ 1 ,Cumali BAĞCI 2 ,Tahsin YAĞCI 2 ,Orhan ALPAN 1

1 Ankara Üniv., Veteriner Fakültesi, Zootekni Anabilim Dalı, Ankara, TÜRKİYE
2 TİGEM, Karaköy Tarım İşletmesi, Samsun, TÜRKİYE
- The purpose of this study was to get commercial crossing of Jersey cows with Brangus, Simmental and Limousin sires for dairy beef production. This research was carried on Karaköy State Farm. The material of the research consisted of 10 Brangus x Jersey (Fı), 21 Simental x Jersey (Fı) and 28 Limousin x Jersey (Fı) crosses.

Overall daily weight gain was 0.643, 0.591 and 0.548 kg in Brangus, Simental and Limousin male crosses and 0.532, 0.539 and 0.536 kg in female crosses during fattening period (510 day) respectively. There was no significant differences between genotype groups in both sexes in respect of daily weight gains.

Brangus crossbred males gained about 39.6 kg more live weight than Limousin crossbreds at the and of fattening period but the value was not statistically significant. Brangus crossbred males were 64 kg and Limousin crossbreds were 24.4 kg heavier than Simmental crossbreeds and those values were found statistically significant.

For groups of four Brangus x Jersey, Simmental x Jersey and Limousin x Jersey bulls slaughtered at 457.5, 436.8 and 450.7 kg, dressing percentage 58.0, 56.1 and 58.2, skin weight 36.5, 37.8 and 39.3 kg, bone ratio 16.0, 16.2 and 15.9 % and rib-eye are 86.3, 96.4 and 95.6 cm2 respectively .

İt was concluded that Brangus x Jersey crossbreds showed higher performance than the others. If the coat colour inheritance take into consideration, Brangus bulls would be more appropriate for crossbreeding of Jersey cows. Keywords : Commercial crossbreeding, Jersey, Brangus, Simmental, Limousin