J. Anim Sci.
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J. Anim Sci. 1976. 43:102-107.
© 1976 American Society of Animal Science
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Bovine Compositional Interrelationships1

R. G. Kauffman, M. D. Van Ess2 and R. A. Long3

University of Wisconsin, Madison 53706

Abstract

Thirty-one steers varying in degree of muscling (angular to bulging) and genotype (Angus, Brown Swiss, Charolais, Hereford, Holstein, Longhorn, Crossbred, double-muscled) were full-fed for 132 days. After slaughter, all major components (i.e., blood, ingesta, messentery fat, etc.) were weighed separately. Each thoracic cavity was filled with water, the water weighed and expressed per unit carcass weight to estimate thoracic cavity capacity. One side of each carcass was separated into soft tissues and bone. The soft tissues were homogenized and analyzed for total lipid by ether extraction. Dressing percentage was expressed on a live, empty body weight (LEBW) basis. The results indicated that more muscular steers (holding LEBW and fatness constant) yielded heavier (P>01) carcasses, whereas fatter steers (holding LEBW and degree of muscling constant) did not yield heavier carcasses. Dressing percentage was negatively related to thoracic cavity capacity (r = –.78, P>01) and positively to calculated lipid-free muscle/bone ratio (r = .79, P>01). These results suggested that heavier muscled cattle had higher dressing percentages because their body cavities were proportionately smaller, whereas fatter cattle did not have higher dressing percentages because increased quantities of mesentery fat in the non-carcass component compensated on a proportional basis for increased quantities of fat that accumulated on the carcass.

Footnotes

1 Department of Meat and Animal Science, University of Wisconsin, Madison. This research was supported in part by a grant provided by Ankony Angus Corporation, Grand Junction, Colorado; and by the College of Agricultural Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin. Muscle Biology Manuscript No. 86.

2 Present address: Oscar Mayer and Company, Madison, Wisconsin 53701.

3 Present address: Texas Technological College, Lubbock 79416.






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Copyright © 1976 by the American Society of Animal Science.