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Beef carcass conformation and some relationships with carcass composition and muscle dimensions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

F. Colomer-Rocher ,
J. J. Bass  and
D. L. Johnson
F. Colomer-Rocher
Affiliation:
Ruakura Agricultural Research Centre, Private Bag, Hamilton, New Zealand
J. J. Bass
Affiliation:
Ruakura Agricultural Research Centre, Private Bag, Hamilton, New Zealand
D. L. Johnson
Affiliation:
Ruakura Agricultural Research Centre, Private Bag, Hamilton, New Zealand
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Summary

Carcasses of 129 steers from ten different sire breeds including dairy breeds, traditional British beef breeds and continental breeds were classified according to the shape of the tuber ischii-tuber calcis profiles of their hindquarter using a 7·point conformation scale. Conformation class was found to be related to both commercial and dissected carcass composition as well as the dimensions of seven hindquarter muscles. At the same carcass weight and fatness the muscle content of the hindquarter increased by 0·56 kg and the bone decreased by 0·13 kg linearly per unit increase in conformation class; the corresponding increase in the muscle-to-bone ratio was 0·07. The general trend for muscle dimensions was that the convex carcasses had shorter and thicker muscles than concave carcasses. A simple method of assessing carcass conformation based on three fundamental profiles of the hindquarter, from which the seven conformation classes were derived, permitted the grouping of carcasses according to their composition. Nevertheless the accuracy of the method may be improved with further investigation.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 94 , Issue 3 , June 1980 , pp. 697 - 708
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1980

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