Carcass and meat characteristics of cull cows from different charolais x nellore genotypes, finished in feedlot

O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar as características de carcaça e da carne de vacas de diferentes graus de sangue Charolês (C) X Nelore (N), terminadas em confinamento. Foram utilizadas 25 vacas de descarte, dos seguintes genótipos: C, 3/4 C + 1/4 N, 1/2 C + 1/2 N. O rendimento de carcaça fria foi maior nas vacas 3/4 C + 1/4 N (51,1%) e 1/2 C + 1/2 N (50,8%) do que nas C (49,0%). No entanto, o peso de carcaça fria foi maior nas 3/4 C + 1/4 N (272kg) do que nas C (250kg). A espessura de gordura foi maior nas 1/2 C + 1/2 N do que nas C e 3/4 C + 1/4 N, sendo de 6,86, 4,86 e 4,92mm, respectivamente. O perímetro de braço foi maior nas C (37,4cm) do que nas 1/2 C + 1/2 N (35,3cm). As vacas 1/2 C + 1/2 N apresentaram menor percentagem de músculo que os outros genótipos e menor percentagem de osso que as C, e apresentaram maior percentagem de gordura que as vacas 3/4 C + 1/4 N e C, mostrando também maior relação músculo + gordura / osso (6,52) do que as C (5,56).The objective of this work was to study the carcass and meat characteristics of cull cows, of different Charolais (C) X Nellore (N) compositions, finished in feedlot. Twenty-five C, 3/4 C + 1/4 N, 1/2 C + 1/2 N cull cows, were used. The dressing percentage was higher for 3/4 C + 1/4 N (51.1%) and 1/2 C + 1/2 N (50.8%) cows than for C (49.0%) cows. Nevertheless, the cold carcass weight was higher for 3/4 C + 1/4 N (272kg) than the C (250kg) cows. Subcutaneous fat thickness was higher for 1/2 C + 1/2 N than for C and 3/4 C + 1/4 N cows, being 6.86, 4.86 and 4.92mm, respectively. The arm perimeter was higher for C (37.4cm) than 1/2 C + 1/2 N (35.3cm) cows. The 1/2 C + 1/2 N cows showed less muscle percentage than the other genotypes and less bone percentage than C cows, and higher fat percentage than 3/4 C + 1/4 N and C, being also superior in muscle + fat / bone ratio (6.52) than C (5.56)