The effect of slaughter weight and sexual status on performance characteristics of male Holstein-Friesian cattle offered a cereal-based diet

Autor:	D. J. Kilpatrick, R. W. J. Steen, R. M. Kirkland, D. C. Patterson, T. W. J. Keady
Rok vydání:	2006
Předmět:	Food conversion Animal science Live weight Holstein Friesian cattle Animal Science and Zoology Mean age Biology Straw Carcass composition Slaughter weight
Zdroj:	Animal Science. 82:397-404
ISSN:	1748-748X 1357-7298
DOI:	10.1079/asc200642
Popis:	A total of 180 Holstein-Friesian male calves, mean age and live weight (LW) at start of the study 112 (s.d. 26·0) days and 134 (s.d. 37·6) kg, respectively, were used to evaluate the effect of slaughter weight on food efficiency and animal performance. Animals were offered concentrates ad libitum and a restricted quantity of straw and slaughtered at one of six LWs as bulls: 300, 350, 400, 450, 500 or 550 kg. A further group of cattle were slaughtered as steers at 450 kg LW. Mean age at slaughter was 247 and 434 days for bulls slaughtered at 300 and 550 kg LW respectively. Neither rate of LW or carcass gain was influenced by weight at slaughter ( P>0·05), with mean values of 1·31 and 0·70 kg/day, respectively. Food conversion ratio, killing-out proportion, carcass conformation, fat classification and weight of internal fat depots increased ( PPPPP
Databáze:	OpenAIRE
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