J. Anim Sci.
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J. Anim Sci. 1972. 34:870-874.
© 1972 American Society of Animal Science
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Beef Cattle Type and Body Composition for Maximum Efficiency1

H. B. Hedrick2

University of Missouri, Columbia 65201

Abstract

This review indicates that changes have been made in beef cattle type and composition during previous years due to decreased demands for by-products and increased demands for more consumer acceptable meat. Some of the changes that occur during growth and development which are associated with composition of the animal and some of the factors which affect these changes have been discussed. The beef cattle producer can manipulate the composition of the animal to variable degrees by selection of animals that have certain inherent traits, by controlling the sex condition, slaughter weight, and by controlling the management and nutritional regimens. In order to obtain an optimum proportion of consumer acceptable meat, animals should be slaughtered on the basis of compositional maturity.

The ideal type of beef animal for the present and for the future is an animal that has inherent potential for efficiently converting feed grains and roughages into the maximum amount of consumer acceptable meat that is possible. The specific size or form of animal is not as important as the proportions of lean meat produced and its qualitative characteristics. The ideal type animal should yield a carcass which in terms of current U.S.D.A. carcass grade standards would have A maturity, a small degree of marbling, grade low Choice and have a yield grade of at least 2 or preferably 1. The most feasible solution to production of the ideal type appears to be designed breeding and production systems which bypass the undesirable and utilize the desirable traits.

Footnotes

1 Presented at the Beef Cattle Session of the 63rd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, August, 1971.

2 Contribution from the Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station Journal Series No. 6212. Approved by the Director.






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Copyright © 1972 by the American Society of Animal Science.