Meat studies of indigenous Southern African cattle. I. Growth performance and carcass characteristics of Afrikaner, Nguni and Pedi bulls fed intensively

Abstract

Afrikaner, Nguni and Pedi weaner bulls (15 per breed) were fed individually from initial masses of 168, 159 and 160 kg to predetermined target masses of 290, 340 and 390 kg respectively. Feed and water were freely available. The diet consisted of the standard concentrate fed to bulls participating in Phase C of the performance test, supplemented with 0,4 kg Eragrostis curvula hay per day. Analyses of variance and least-significant differences between means indicated no breed differences in either average daily gain or feed conversion ratio over the growth intervals, although a breed effect on the number of days fed was found to be significant (P < 0,05). The Nguni was found to have the heavier carcass (P < 0,05), greater dressing  percentage (P < 0,05), the more compact carcass (P < 0,05) and hind quarter (P <
0,01), and a lighter hide (%) (P < 0,05). Minor breed effects were found in the content of carcass bone, muscle, fat and total meat. These differences were  insufficient to influence the grading scores, in which no differences were recorded.

Afrikaner-, Nguni- en Pedi-speenbulle (15 per ras) is onderskeidelik vanaf  aanvangsmassas van 168, 159 en 160 kg individueel tot teikenmassas van 290, 340 en 390 kg gevoer. Voer en water was vrylik beskikbaar. Die dieet het bestaan
uit die standaardrantsoen vir Fase C-prestasietoetsing, gesupplementeer met 0,4 kg Eragrostis curvula-hooi per dag. Variansie-analises en kleinste betekenisvolle verskille tussen gemiddeldes het geen betekenisvolle verskille tussen rasse getoon in gemiddelde daaglikse toename en voeromsettingsverhoudingoor die groeiperiodes nie, maar wel 'n verskil (P < 0,05) in die getal dae gevoer. Die Nguni het 'n swaarder karkas (P < 0,05), hoer uitslagpersentasie (P < 0,05), 'n meer kompakte karkas (P < 0,05) en agterkwart (P < 0,01), en 'n ligter huid (%) (P < 0,05) getoon. Geringe rasverskille het in die been-, spier-, vet- en totale vleisinhoud van die karkas  voorgekom. Hierdie verskille het geen invloed op die gradering gehad nie.