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Carcass Traits of and Preweaning Creep Feeding Effects on Steers Sired by Angus, Holstein, Simmental and Chianina Bulls^{1 ,2,}

Washington State University^,3, Pullman 99164

Abstract

Carcasses from 33 steers representing four breed of sire groups were studied to determine carcass traits, muscle to bone ratios of the wholesale round and the effects of preweaning creep feeding. Breed of sire groups included Angus (A), Holstein (H), Simmental (S) and Chianina (C). Two sires represented each breed and a random half of each group received creep feed during the preweaning period (average 188 days). The steers were slaughtered at an estimated USDA Choice grade with the following shrunk live weights and chilled carcass weights respectively: A, 370 to 231 kg; H, 461 to 287 kg; S, 485 to 301 kg; and C, 526 to 339 kilograms. The C-sired carcasses had a higher dressing percentage than the other three breed groups. All four breed groups graded low to average Choice and the C-sired carcasses had the highest estimated cutability, 51.3% compared to 46.9% for H carcasses and 49.3% and 49.6% for A and S carcasses, respectively. Fat percentage of the soft tissues of the 9-10-11th rib sections were different among all breed of sire groups as follows: H, 45.2%; A, 40.3%; S, 35.4%; and C, 29.6%. Muscle to bone ratios were calculated by dividing the combined weight of the three major muscles of the round of the femur and tibia. Holstein rounds had a ratio of 2.88:1 compared to 3:44:1 and 3.51:1 for S and C, respectively. Preweaning creep feeding resulted in a cutability percentage of 48.8% compared to 50.0% for noncreep. Longissimus muscle area was the only other trait significantly affected by preweaning creep feeding: 81.8 cm² and 75.7 cm² for noncreep-fed vs creep-fed, respectively. However, there was a trend for carcasses of the preweaning creep-fed steers to be less desirable in all of the quantitative traits relating to cutability percentage.

¹ Scientific Paper No. 5246. College of Agr. Res. Center, Washington State Univ. Project 1692.

² The authors wish to express their appreciation to Dan Coonrad and Duncan Dunn for assistance with data collection and to Kenneth McElvain for assistance with the statistical analyses.

³ Dept. of Animal Sciences.

⁴ Present address: Western Farmers Association, Pasco, WA.

⁵ Present address: Head, Dept. of Agriculture, Berry College, Mt. Berry, GA.