Influence of breed and sex on muscle weight distribution of cattle

Abstract

In this experiment an attempt was made to study the influence of breed and sex on the muscle-weight distribution of cattle. The weights of individual muscles obtained by total dissection from the side of a carcass from each of 63 bulls, 106 steers and 22 heifers representing six, eight and two breed groups respectively were classified into nine anatomical groups using the method of Butterfield (1963). Muscle-weight distribution was then studied by expressing the muscle in each of these groups as percentages of total muscle and also as adjusted mean weight of muscle in each region while statistically adjusting total muscle to a constant level.Results indicated that breed differences were significant although small for abdominal muscles and muscles of the neck region within bulls and steers, but two breed groups of heifers did not differ. There was no detectable breed influence on the percentage of any other muscle group. Percentages of muscles classified as expensive were found to be remarkably similar among breed groups in all three sexes.Sex influences on muscle distribution were also appraised. There was a general trend of heifers having a higher percentage in the proximal pelvic limb and abdominal areas than steers, while steers exceeded bulls. This order of sex influence was reversed in the muscles of the neck and thorax region. The influence of sex was conspicuous in areas classified as having expensive muscles, with heifers having a higher percentage of muscles in the high-priced regions than steers and steers being superior to bulls. Sex differences reflect the differential development of bulls compared with the other sexes as they mature. Muscles of the neck and thorax in bulls increase in proportion and other groups (proximal hind and abdominal) decrease. The differentiation of muscles represents a trend toward masculinity from heifer to steer to young bull and finally to old bull proportions. INTRODUCTION*^e P r e s e n t stu< iy attempts to compare the muscle distribution among several divergent breed groups Muscle is the major and most valuable part of a and among three sexes (bulls, steers and heifers), beef carcass. Superior type or conformation has been considered to indicate a high proportion of MATERIALS AND METHODS lean meat m the carcass or a high proportion of high-priced cuts or both. It has been shown thatThe data for the present study came from the the proportions of lean, fat and bone in a beef same animals described in a previous paper (Mukcarcass is influenced by breed, sex, plane of nutri-hoty & Berg, 1971). Half carcasses of 63 young tion and slaughter weight (Berg & Butterfield, bulls, 106 steers and 22 heifers were dissected into 1968; Mukhoty, Berg & Grieve, 1970). A high individual muscles, bones and fat depots. A number proportion of lean results in a carcass of high of breed groups were used representing beef and economic merit. Since some parts of the carcass dairy breeds and crosses. All animals were fed a are normally sold to the consumer at higher prices high-energy ration pr...

Evaluation of British Friesian, Canadian Holstein and beef breed × British Friesian steers slaughtered over a commercial range of fatness from 16-month and 24-month beef production systems 2. Carcass characteristics, and rate and efficiency of lean gain

“…The results for the proportion of lean distributed in the higher-priced joints agree with the findings from several other studies (for example, Mukhoty and Berg, 1973;Kempster, Cuthbertson and Smith, 1976) that there is relatively little genetic variation in this characteristic. The overall range between breeds in the present study was only 19 g/kg (16-month) and 13 g/kg (24-month) which is worth less than proportionately 0-01 in carcass retail value.…”

Performance and Carcass Quality of Forage-Fed Steers as an Alternative to Concentrate-Based Beef Production

“…Control bulls had greater percentage of edible meat in the thoracic limb and lower in the pelvic limb than both groups of steers (P<0.001), as observed by others (Mukhoty and Berg, 1973;Owens et al, 1995;Shahin et al, 1993). According to Brandstetter et al (2000), the effect of testosterone on sexual dimorphism is evident by differential growth of forelimb and neck muscles in bulls and steers.…”

Sex Differences in Carcass Composition and Tissue Distribution in Mature Double Muscled Cattle

“…Mukhoty and Berg (1913) found no significant difference between young males and females in this muscle group. Shahin et al (unpublished) Mature cows had significantly more muscle in the abdominal wall than bulls, which is a situation similar to that found for sex differences in younger animals (Mukhoty andBerg 1973 Bergstrom 1978). In the mature females, abdominal wall muscles G4 (Table 3.4) formed a relatively greater proportion of total muscle than they did in the males.…”