| Abstrakt: |
Live animal, carcass and palatability data were collected from 128 Angus steer and heifer progeny representing 12 sires from six herds over a 3-year period. Grade, marbling and bone maturity, whether considered simultaneously or singly, were associated with less than 7 % of the variation in SM or LD tenderness. These same variables were associated with less than 11% of the variation in juiciness of either muscle. Simple correlations indicated that approximately 9 to 11% of the variation in SM tenderness could be explained by growth rate on a live or carcass basis. In contrast to this, LD tenderness was not significantly correlated with growth rate. Fifteen variables, which included measurements of growth, carcass composition and quality characteristics, were associated with 45% of the variance in SM tenderness and 32% of the variance in LD tenderness. The same 15 variables were associated with 41% of the variance in SM juiciness and 32% of the variance in LD juiciness. Standardized partial regression coefficients indicated that length of test period exerted the greatest influence upon LD tenderness. Retail yield per day of age, retail yield (kg.), age and length of test period had the greatest influence upon SM tenderness. |
