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Characterization Of Biological Types Of Cattle Iii. Carcass Composition, Quality And Palatability, R. M. Koch, M. E. Dikeman, D. M. Allen, M. May, J. D. Crouse, D. R. Campion
Characterization Of Biological Types Of Cattle Iii. Carcass Composition, Quality And Palatability, R. M. Koch, M. E. Dikeman, D. M. Allen, M. May, J. D. Crouse, D. R. Campion
Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications
Composition and quality characteristics of 1,121 steer carcasses obtained after mating Hereford and Angus cows to Hereford, Angus, Jersey, South Devon, Limousin, Charolais and Simmental sires were compared at a (1) constant age, (2) constant weight, and (3) constant percentage of fat in the longissimus muscle. Taste panel evaluation was made on a subsample of 496 carcasses. Growth rate of retail product, fat trim and bone differed significantly among sire breed groups. Breed group differences in relative proportions of retail product, fat trim and bone were largest when compared at a constant carcass weight and smallest when compared at equal …
Luteinizing Hormone, Testosterone, Growth And Carcass Responses To Sexual Alteration In The Ram, B. D. Schanbacher, J. J. Ford
Luteinizing Hormone, Testosterone, Growth And Carcass Responses To Sexual Alteration In The Ram, B. D. Schanbacher, J. J. Ford
United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications
A total of 130 ram lambs were used in a study to determine the effects of sex alteration on serum hormone levels, growth rate and carcass traits. Sex alteration included no treatment (intact rams), scrotal ablation to alter normal testicular secretion (short scrotum rams) and castration to completely remove influences derived from the testes (wethers). Although these data suggest that scrotal ablation at birth did not produce complete azoospermia in Finn-crossbred rams, reduction (P<.01) in testicular weight did produce significant results. Serum testosterone in short scrotum and intact rams was similar, whereas castration resulted in considerably lower concentrations of this steroid (P<.01). On the other hand, serum luteinizing hormone was increased (P<.01) threefold in short scrotum rams and 12-fold in wethers as compared to that of intact rams. Because these results cannot be fully explained by changes in serum testosterone, it is speculated that changes in secretory products of the testis which accompany degeneration of the germinal epithelium are responsible for elevated luteinizing hormone. Post-weaning average daily gain (P<.01) and feed efficiency were highest in intact and short scrotum rams indicating that testosterone (or testis) may be beneficial. Although dressing percentage and adjusted backfat were highest (P<.01) in wethers, carcass weight and yield grade were advantageous (P<.01) in short scrotum and intact rams. Quality grades were similar; all animals reached average choice.