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).