Table 6. Effect of fattening period on carcass characteristics in Holstein steers

Item 20 mon 21 mon 22 mon 23 mon 24 mon SEM p-value1)
Body weight
 Market wt (kg) 750.39b 773.91ab 776.30ab 806.39ab 812.84a 15.01 0.0913
 Cold carcass wt (kg) 414.79b 434.42ab 423.50ab 442.92a 446.45a 8.57 0.0565
 Carcass percentage (%) 55.28 56.13 54.55 54.92 54.92
Yield traits
 Backfat thickness (mm) 5.14b 7.50ab 6.71ab 6.54ab 7.73a 0.80 0.1915
 Longissimus area (cm2) 77.21 77.83 75.14 74.38 74.27 2.00 0.6249
 Yield index 65.05a 63.19ab 63.59ab 63.13ab 62.29b 0.69 0.0869
 Yield grade (%)
  A 8.33 8.33 ND ND ND
  B 91.67 83.34 91.67 91.67 66.67
  C ND 8.33 8.33 8.33 33.33
 Marbling score2) 2.86 2.50 2.79 2.77 2.55 0.41 0.9648
 Meat color3) 4.64 4.58 4.93 5.08 4.82 0.17 0.2278
 Fat color4) 2.07b 2.08b 2.57a 2.46a 2.09b 0.10 0.0020
 Texture5) 1.79 1.83 1.93 2.00 1.91 0.06 0.4482
 Maturity6) 2.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 0.00 ND
 Quality grade (%)
  1+ 8.33 ND 8.33 ND ND
  1 25.00 33.33 25.00 25.00 16.67
  2 50.00 41.67 41.67 58.33 66.67
  3 16.67 25.00 25.00 16.67 16.67
Probability of the F-test.
1, devoid; 9, the most abundant.
1, bright red; 7, dark red.
1, white; 7, yellowish.
1, fine; 3, coarse.
1, youthful; 9, mature.
Means in the same row with different superscripts are significantly different (p < 0.05).