Livestock Studies 1976, Vol 16, Num, 1-2     (Pages: 031-058)

A Comparison of the Slaughter and Carcass Characteristics of D.A.K. and Montafon X D.A.K. Crossbred Bulls on Ad.libitum and Restricted Feeding

Rafet ARPACIK ,Halil AKÇAPINAR ,Kemal ALIÇ

- The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of Ad.libitum and restricted feeding on the slaughter and carcass characteristics. The material of this study consisted of 24 eastern Anatolian Red (E.A.R.) and 24 Austrian Brown X E.A.R. crossbred bulls and their carcasses. The animals were 18 to 24 months of age at the start of the experiment. Only one type of ration was used in the feeding. Eight animals in each genotype group were put under three types of feeding, namely, Ad.libitum, restricted (daily allowance 7.5 kg feed per 100 kg live weight) and ınsufficient (daily alowanca 5.0 kg feed per 100 kg live weight). At the and of sixteen weeks, the Ad.libitum fed animals were slaughtered. In the second and third period of the experiment the restricted and insufficient fed animals were slaughtered when they reached the average live weight of the Ad.libitum fed group.

The average values for feeding periods were 112.5, 128.5 and 145.0 days; for spleen weight 0.62, 0.43 and 0.49 kg, for internal fat 7.52, 5.36 and 5.38 kg, for empty intestine (small and large) 9.34, 8.08 and 8.00 kg on thi Ad.libitum, restricted and insufficient feeding groups, respectively, all differences being significant. No significant differences were found among the feeding groups for the other slaughter characteristics.

The average values for shrinkage were 1.06, 1.26 and 1.52 %, for dressing percentage 54.4, 53.6 and 51.9 %, and for the ratio of bone 13.5, 14.9 and 15.5 % on the feeding groups, respectively. Feeding group differences for these characteristics were statistically significant.

The mean values for loin weight were 2.910, 2.621 and 2.496 kg, respectively, on the Ad.libitum, restricted and insufficient feeding groups and differences being significant in the 0.05 level. No significant differences were observed among the feeding groups for the weight of high priced and low-priced (boiling and mincing) cuts. Correlation coefficients for muscle, bone and fat in the carcass and sample joint (10, 11 and 12 th rib cut) were 0.85, 0.85 and 0.69, respectively. Keywords :