title: Comparison of slaughter value for once-calved heifers and heifers of Polish Holstein-Friesian×Limousine crossbreds.
abstract: The study compared the slaughter value and meat quality of heifers and once-calved heifers slaughtered at the age of 18 and 28months, respectively. The once-calved heifers at the age of 15months, were bred with semen of Limousine bulls and following the calving they fed their offspring and then they were slaughtered. There were no differences in the carcass conformation and fatness between the treatments. Once-calved heifers' carcasses had a higher proportion (P<0.05) of 5 most valuable primal cuts as compared with heifers. Meat of once-calved heifers contained more (P<0.05) intramuscular fat, was darker (P<0.01), and exhibited a higher water-holding capacity and lower cooking loss (P<0.05) as compared with heifers' meat. In conclusion, due to the possibility for obtaining additional offspring and a heavier pre-slaughter weight without reducing the slaughter value of the carcass and meat quality, it is recommended to use heifers originating from commercial crossbreeding as the once-calved ones.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cattle Breeding and Milk Evaluation, Faculty of Animal Bioengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, ul. Oczapowskiego 5, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland. Electronic address: zena@uwm.edu.pl.
authors.forename: Zenon
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Nogalski
authors.affiliation: Department of Cattle Breeding and Milk Evaluation, Faculty of Animal Bioengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, ul. Oczapowskiego 5, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sobczuk-Szul
authors.affiliation: Department of Cattle Breeding and Milk Evaluation, Faculty of Animal Bioengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, ul. Oczapowskiego 5, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland.
authors.forename: Paulina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pogorzelska-Przybyłek
authors.affiliation: Department of Cattle Breeding and Milk Evaluation, Faculty of Animal Bioengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, ul. Oczapowskiego 5, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland.
authors.forename: Zofia
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wielgosz-Groth
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, Faculty of Animal Bioengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, ul. Oczapowskiego 5, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland.
authors.forename: Cezary
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Purwin
authors.affiliation: Department of Industrial Commodity, Basics of Techniques and Energy Management, Faculty of Food Sciences, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Plac Cieszyński 1, 10-719, Poland.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Modzelewska-Kapituła
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology*; D002417:Cattle / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D005260:Female; D008460:Meat / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards*; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy; D012098:Reproduction
keywords: Beef; Carcass traits; Crossbreed; Meat quality; Once-calved heifer; Tenderness