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Sire, Sex and Weight Effects upon Beef Carcass Traits and Palatability¹

University of Wisconsin, Madison⁴

Abstract

Sire differences (P<.05) were observed for daily gain, but not for retail yield per day of age. Sire differences in daily gain may have been biased by sire differences in initial age and initial weight. Results indicated significant differences between sires and among weight groups for retail yield. There were no significant differences in percent retail yield between steers and heifers. Significant interactions involving sex, weight group or sire indicate that, in order to maximize retail yield, considerations other than the main effects of these factors are necessary. Interactions including sex, weight group or sire had a significant effect upon carcass grade. In general palatability was not influenced by either sex or weight group. Sire differences were significant for SM tenderness but not for LD tenderness. Conversely, LD juiciness differed between sires while SM juiciness did not differ between sires. Significant herd-by-sex, year-by-sex and weight-by-sire interactions for tenderness scores indicate differential responses in tenderness may be more important than the main effects of these factors.

These data suggest that one may expect a significant increase in weight of retail yield, with no significant changes in carcass grade, marbling or palatability when live weight is increased from 386 to 455 kg. However, interactions may result in important differential responses in such characteristics as carcass grade and weight of retail yield.

¹ Published with the approval of the Director of the Wisconsin Agricultural Experiment Station.

² The authors acknowledge support by a research grant from the American Angus Association. The authors also express their appreciation to Oscar Mayer and Company for taste panel evaluations.

³ Appreciation is expressed to George R. Barr for assistance in computer programing the statistical analysis.

⁴ Department of Meat and Animal Science. Paper No. 448.