Quantitative traits of carcass value in bulls of some cattle breeds

The objective of the paper was to determine quantitative traits of carcass value in bulls of Czech Pied breed (C), Limousine breed (Li) and their crossbred. Our study was focused on a comparison of meatiness and carcass yield in the experimental groups of bulls. A finishing facility was filled with bulls of Czech Pied breed, Limousine breed and their crossbreds after weaning at the age of 210 days. Slaughter bulls of the given genotypes were sacrificed at average slaughter weight 500-550 kg. Carcass value traits were assessed in selected groups of animals after control slaughters when bull carcasses were dissected into butcher's cuts. To assess carcass value these parameters were determined: average daily weight gain during finishing in g, live weight before slaughter in kg, weight of dressed carcass in kg, carcass yield from live weight before slaughter in %, proportions of lean cuts and bones in dressed carcass in %, meat to bone ratio. Statistical data were processed by SAS program - a linear model. C x Li bulls achieved the highest average daily gain during finishing while it was lowest in Li breed. C x Li crossbreds had the highest live weight before slaughter, Li breed the lowest. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups. The highest weight of dressed carcass was determined in Li breed (320.8 ir,g), the lowest in C breed. Statistical differences were calculated between C and C x Li (P < 0.01), between Li and C, and between Li and C x Li (P < 0.001). The highest carcass yield was determined in bulls of Li breed (62.3%), the lowest in C breed (59.2%). The proportion of total meat in dressed meat cuts was highest in Li breed (82.0%) while it was lowest in C breed (76.3%); Li breed had the lowest proportion of total bones (16.4%), C breed had the highest (21.2%). The best meat to bone ratio was determined in bulls of Li breed - 5.01, followed by C x Li bulls - 3.81, the worst meat to bone ratio was in C bulls - 3.60. The proportion of fat in the weight of dressed meat cuts was lowest in bulls of Li breed - 1.6% while it was highest in C x Li bulls - 2.7%. Li bulls had the highest proportion of these cuts in the weight of dressed cuts: meat of chuck with shank and bottom chuck cut off (7.5%), brisket with rib and bone and flank with bone (14.5%), rib, foreribs and neck in one piece without bones (11.1%), fore shank with bottom chuck, hind shank and plate (5.4%), short loin (5.0%), sirloin (1.9%), round and rump with shank and plate cut off (19.5%), and the lowest proportion of fat (1.6%), marrow, thin and butcher's bones (16.4%).