Carcass characteristics of 463 steers, born during 1984 to 1996, from two breeding systems: straightbreds (S) and F1 crossbreds were studied. The S breeding system included the 188 Charolais (C) and 125 Nellore (N) steers and the F1 included 72 1/2 C 1/2 N and 78 1/2 N 1/2 C steers. F1 steers were superior than the purebreds in carcass fat percentage, muscle / bone relation, muscle + fat / bone relation and marbling score, being heterosis levels of 3.33, […]

Quantitative carcass traits of cull cows from two breeding systems, straightbreds (Charolais – C and Nellore – N) and crossbreds F1 1/2 CN and 1/2 NC, were evaluated. The cows were feedlot finished and fed with a 10% crude protein diet with 65% roughage, sorghum silage, and 35% concentrate. Objective and subjective measurements were taken from the cold carcasses. Charolais females showed higher slaughter weight (522.6 vs 462 kg) and cold carcass weight (255.8 vs 237.5 kg), conformation score (10.7 […]

The carcass physical composition, meat quality and cholesterol content in the Longissimus dorsi muscle of 24 Red Angus steers finished in feedlot with different weights were evaluated. Steers average age and weight at the beginning of the feedlot were, respectively, eight months and 189 kg. The number of days on feed was 114, 144, 173 and 213 days to reach the slaughter weight (PA) of 340, 373, 400.6 or 433.6 kg. The carcass composition was affected by the slaugther weight, […]

Carcass traits of steers from two breeding systems, straightbreds (S) and F1 crossbreds were studied. The S breeding system included the Charolais (C) and the Nellore (N) breeds and the F1 included 1/2 C + 1/2 N and 1/2 N + 1/2 C crosses. A total of 463 steers, born from 1984 to 1996 were used. The crossbred steers were superior to the purebreds in slaughter weight, carcass weight, conformation, carcass length, cushion thickness, arm perimeter, sidecut percentage, fat thickness […]

The objective of the experiment was to evaluate the weight, the feed intake, the average weight gain and feed: gain ratio of culled cows, straightbreds (Charolais-C and Nellore-N) and crossbreds (½ CN and ½ NC) during the finishing phase as well as measuring the resulting heterosis. The cows were confined during 80 days, all of them fed with a 10% crude protein diet and forage: concentrate ratio of 65:35. The F1 cows were heavier at the beginning (402 vs. 362 […]

Seventy beef males of three breeding systems (BS), straightbreds Charolais (Ch) and Nellore (Ne), G1 crossbreds: 1/2 Ch + 1/2 Ne (1/2 Ch) and 1/2 Ne + 1/2 Ch (1/2 Ne) and G2 crossbreds: 3/4 Ch + 1/4 Ne (3/4 Ch) and 3/4 Ne + 1/4 Ch (3/4 Ne) were used. The number of animals by genetic group was, respectively, 15, 12, 8, 12, 14 and 9. Thirty-five males were castrated (C) at seven months and 35 were kept intact […]

The experiment evaluated the performance of Charolais (C) and Nellore (N) cows of three age classes, young (3 and 4 years), adult (5 to 7 years) and old (8 or more years), weaned at three (early weaning) or seven months in the fall (traditional weaning). The weight of the cows at the fall was 45 kg higher for the cows weaned at three months (T3) than for the cows weaned at seven months (T7). The body condition at seven months […]

With the objective to study the carcass and the meat qualitative characteristics of young bulls or castrated males, slaughtered at fourteen months of age, fifteen Hereford males were used, eight castrated at seven months and seven kept entire. From birth to weaning animals were raised on improved native pasture, and after weaning, at seven months, they were confined. Meat measurements were taken from the longissimus muscle, and to determine carcass composition the method of manual dissection of muscle, fat and […]

The carcass characteristics from young bulls or steers from different breed compositions of Charolais x Nellore were the objective of this study. Seventy beef males from three breeding systems: straightbreds (Charolais (Ch) and Nellore (Ne)), G1 crossbreds (1/2 Ch 1/2 Ne and 1/2 Ne 1/2 Ch) and G2 crossbreds (3/4 Ch 1/4 Ne and 3/4 Ne 1/4 Ch) were used. Thirty-five males were castrated (steers) at seven months and 35 were kept entire (young bulls). The animals were confined from […]

ABSTRACT – This experiment was conducted to evaluate the performance in feedlot finishing period of steers with genotype of 100 Hereford (H), 62/38 H Nellore (N), 50/50 HN, 25/75 HN. Twenty-four steers, twenty months old, feedlot confined by 126 days, were used. The diet with 12.7% of crude protein, was constituted by 57.5:42.5 forage to concentrate ratio on dry matter (DM) basis. The forage was corn silage + chopped sugar cane (relation 1:1). The regression was significant for the average […]