Brahman and Brahman crossbred cattle grown on pasture and in feedlots in subtropical and temperate Australia: 1. Carcass quality

Abstract

Brahmans are known to have poorer carcass quality relative to 'Bos taurus' breeds and crossbreds under temperate environments; however, little is known of their performance in subtropical environments. The Cooperative Research Centre for Cattle and Beef Industry (Meat Quality) initiated a crossbred progeny test experiment to compare straightbred Brahmans with Brahman crossbreds finished on pasture and grain, in subtropical and temperate environments, to carcass quality specifications of Australian domestic and export markets. Brahman, Belmont Red, Santa Gertrudis, Angus, Hereford, Shorthorn, Charolais and Limousin sires were mated to Brahman females in subtropical Queensland over 3 years to produce 1750 progeny. At a common age at slaughter, Charolais crossbreds had the highest hot carcass weight (CWT) but were not significantly heavier than Limousin or British crossbred progeny. At common carcass weights, breeds within breed type (British, Continental, tropically adapted) performed similarly. British and Santa Gertrudis crossbreds had the fattest carcasses and lowest yields. British and Belmont Red crossbreds had the highest intramuscular fat percentage (IMF). Continental crossbreds had the highest retail beef yield (RBY), kilograms of retail primals (RTPM) and percent retail primals (pcRTPM) and leanest carcasses. Brahmans had the lowest CWT, intermediate subcutaneous fat cover, high yields and low IMF. Animals finished in the subtropics on pasture were significantly older, leaner and had higher RBY,RTPM and pcRTPM than subtropical feedlot-finished contemporaries. Temperate feedlot animals had significantly more IMF, less subcutaneous fat at the P8 site and slightly lower yields than subtropical feedlot contemporaries, indicating possible effects of postweaning growth path on fat distribution. Belmont Red crossbreds demonstrated the advantages of adaptation with the highest IMF in both subtropical finishing regimes, while Angus progeny had the highest IMF in the temperate feedlot environment and highest IMF overall when analysed across finishing regimes. Significant interactions were mainly the result of scale effects rather than breed re-ranking for carcass traits across markets and finishing regimes. Therefore, breeds that performed well for certain carcass traits in subtropical environments performed consistently for those traits in temperate environments relative to other sire breeds, regardless of market endpoint or finishing nutrition.