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A Study of the Relation between Body Conformation and Carcass Quality in Fat Calves¹

University of Nevada

Abstract

Data from 64 fat Hereford steer calves were used to study the relations among eleven body measurements and three carcass traits.

Heart girth appears to be the most satisfactory single measure of total size for studies of growth and form.

Relations among the various body measurements were studied. In general, the analysis indicated that much of the observed correlation among the various measures arises from their relation to general size. This appears also to be true for the relations between the measurements and carcass traits, with the exception of width of chest.

The relation between several ratios and the carcass traits were studied. These data indicate that the most important measures influencing carcass quality are: chest width, and the ratio of height at withers to heart girth, and length to heart girth. A multiple regression analysis indicated that chest width alone provides nearly as much information concerning carcass quality as does a multiple regression including the two ratios.

¹ This work is in cooperation with the Animal and Poultry Husbandry Research Branch, A.R.S., U.S.D.A., under Western Regional Project W-l on beef cattle breeding research. It was also supported by a grant from the Sears-Roebuck Foundation.

² Department of Animal Husbandry, Reno, Nevada. The author is indebted to the Nevada Junior Livestock Show Board and the 4-H and Future Farmer exhibitors for making the animals available and assisting with the measurements.