BETWEEN-BREED DIFFERENCES OF CARCASS COMPOSITION IN CATTLE

The validity of the hypothesis that between-breed differences of carcass composition in cattle can be reduced when compared at the same degree of maturity was assessed using carcass data of various breeds obtained from slaughter experiments in Denmark, Japan and Malaysia. All cattle were kept in intensive feeding conditions in this study. With respect to temperate data (Danish and Japanese data), although large between-breed differences were found in carcass composition in the comparison at the same slaughter weight, the differences were reduced when compared at the same degree of maturity. This result supported the above hypothesis. Kedah-Kelantan and their crosses in Malaysian data, however, had more muscle and bone contents but less fat content than temperate breeds, even if compared at the same degree of maturity. This could be attributed to the history that native Kedah-Kelantan breed has adapted itself in the direction of decreasing fat deposition which requires much energy and prevents heat evaporation, in order to survive under high temperature and high humiodity conditions in Malaysia. In spite of the same tropical breed, carcass composition of Sahiwal-Friesian was similar to that of other temperate breeds at the same degree of maturity.