Meat Yield Prediction of Cattle (Yakanaji) Slaughtered at the Abattoir Unit of University of Benin Teaching and Research Farm, Benin City, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated the meat yield of cattle (Yakanaji) slaughtered at the abattoir unit of  University of Benin Teaching and Research Farm, Benin City, Nigeria. Data  from 74 Cattle to measure body length longitudinal, body length oblique, withers height, hip height ,hip length, heart girth, chest width, chest depth, hip width and shin circumference. Results obtained show the average longitudinal body length of 130.15cm, withers height value was 124.82cm, heart girth 143.65cm having. The highest correlation between meat yield and body measurements was in hip width (0.78), heart girth (0.74), hip length (0.72) and chest depth (0.71). The high values for coefficients of determination between meat yield and the linear body measurements of the entire cattle in this study indicated that the variables or their combination could be used to estimate or predict the live body weight of these cattle. Results of the OLS regression with R²=0.75, showed that the explanatory variables explain 75% of the changes in the dependent variable, meat yield and it showed significant positive relationship for hip length and hip width, while other variables were insignificant (p≥0.05) with the prediction equations derived being Y= a+0.05HLT+1.20 HPW. Using factor analysis, two factors were extracted and accounted for 64% of total variance in the present study with the first component accounting for 54% of total variance. The results indicated the use of morphometric traits as reliable independent predictors of meat yield and can be used in abattoirs as well as breeding programs.