J. Anim Sci.
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J. Anim Sci. 1977. 44:932-938.
© 1977 American Society of Animal Science
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Bovine Metacarpal and Metatarsal Dimensions: Sex Effects, Heritability Estimates and Relation to Growth and Carcass Characteristics1

L. L. Wilson, H. B. Roth, J. H. Ziegler and J. D. Sink2

Pennsylvania State University, University Park, 16802

Abstract

Data were collected on 230 steers and 222 heifers, from Angus-Holstein F1 dams bred to Polled Hereford bulls, slaughtered at individual unshrunk weights of 467 (steers) and 415 (heifers) kilograms. Metacarpal (MC) and metatarsal (MT) bones were removed from the right side of each carcass at slaughter. Carcass weight was included as a continuous independent variable in the analysis. Sex effects were significant for all MC and MT characters except density. Heritability estimates for MC and MT dimensions ranged from .27 for MT circumference to .65 for MT lateral depth. Bone density yielded a negative sire component of variance. Medulla cavity area was highly heritable (.52 to .54). Bone traits were positively correlated with growth and production traits such as 205-day weight and edible portion/day and negatively correlated with slaughter age, indicating that animals with greater limb bone dimensions tended to grow more rapidly and produce more retail product per day of age than did animals with smaller bone dimensions. Carcass length and cutability were correlated positively with bone traits. Marbling score was negatively correlated with bone traits, and Warner-Bratzler shear value was only slightly correlated with bone characters.

Footnotes

1 Contribution from the Department of Diary and Animal Science; Approved by the Director, PAES, as Paper No. 4724 in the Journal Series.

2 The authors express appreciation to J. L. Watkins for technical assistance; to certain beef breeders for financial contributions; and to personnel of the Pennsylvania Bureau of Correction for Cooperation in this research.






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Copyright © 1977 by the American Society of Animal Science.