A comparison of Holstein Friesian, Brown Swiss and Eastern Anatolian Red cattle slaughtered in Turkey for carcass conformation and fatness in SEUROP system

WOS: 000221659000007The study was conducted to compare the carcass conformation and fatness of common slaughter cattle breeds in Turkey. A total of 878 carcasses from pure Holstein Friesian (HF, n = 381), pure Brown Swiss (BS, n = 314) and pure and crosses of Eastern Anatolian Red (EAR, n = 183) males that had been slaughtered in a commercial abattoir between 1 October 2000 and 1 October 2001 were evaluated. Carcass conformation and fatness classes were evaluated subjectively using photographic patterns according to the SEUROP classification system. According to the data of this study, HF and BS carcasses were heavier and had a better class in fleshiness than EAR. As carcass weight increased, the conformation and fatness class increased. The BS carcasses (-U) had more than one subclass higher fleshiness than HF (+R) carcasses. Conformation of EAR carcasses (-R) was lower than in HF and BS carcasses. However, the fatness scores of HF and EAR carcasses (9.38 = +3) were 0.25 unit higher than in BS (9.63 = -2). The carcass quality was better in HF and BS than in EAR