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Cattle stratified on genetic merit segregate on carcass characteristics, but there is scope for improvement
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2019-05-03
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Berry, D.P., Pabiou, T., Brennan, D., Hegarthy, P.J., Judge, M. M. Cattle stratified on genetic merit segregate on carcass characteristics, but there is scope for improvement, Translational Animal Science, Volume 3, Issue 2, March 2019, Pages 893–902, https://doi.org/10.1093/tas/txz042
Abstract
The study objective was to quantify
the ability of genetic merit for a generated
carcass index to differentiate animals on primal
carcass cut weights using data from 1,446 herds
on 9,414 heifers and 22,413 steers with weights
for 14 different primal carcass cuts (plus 3 generated
groups of cuts). The carcass genetic merit
index was compromised of carcass weight (positive
weight), conformation (positive weight),
and fat score (negative weight), each equally
weighted within the index. The association analyses
were undertaken using linear mixed models;
models were run with or without carcass weight
as a covariate. In a further series of analyses,
carcass weight and carcass fat score were both
included as covariates in the models. Whether
the association between primal cut yield and carcass
weight differed by genetic merit stratum was
also investigated. Genetic merit was associated
(P < 0.001) with the weight of all cuts evaluated
even when adjusted to a common carcass weight
(P < 0.01); when simultaneously adjusted to a
common carcass weight and fat score, genetic
merit was not associated with the weight of the
cuberoll or the group cuts termed minced-meat.
The weight of the different primal cuts increased
almost linearly within increasing genetic merit,
with the exception of the rump and bavette. The
difference in mean primal cut weight between the
very low and very high genetic merit strata, as a
proportion of the overall mean weight of that
cut in the entire data set, varied from 0.05 (bavette)
to 0.28 (eye of round); the average was 0.17.
Following adjustment for differences in carcass
weight, there was no difference in cut weight
between the very low and very high strata for the
rump, chuck tender, and mince cut group; the
remaining cuts were heavier in the higher index
animals with the exception of the cuberoll and
bavette, which were lighter in the very high index
animals. The association between carcass weight
and the weight of each of the evaluated primal
cuts differed (P < 0.05) by genetic merit stratum
for all cuts evaluated with the exception of the
rump, striploin, and brisket as well as the group
cuts of frying and mincing. With the exception
of these 5 primal (group) cuts, the regression
coefficients of primal cut weight on carcass
weight increased consistently for all traits with
increasing genetic merit stratum, other than for
the fillet, cuberoll, bavette, chuck and neck, and
heel and shank.