RESULTS OF BEEF CARCASS GRADING IN SLOVENIA FROM 1997 TO 200

Carcass traits (carcass weight, conformation and fatness note and payment class) were collected in the commercial slaughterhouses with automatic data collection for the last ten years. On the average more than 80 % of all graded bovine animals in Slovenia were taken into the study. The average carcass weight of calves increased by 20 kg, but was with 79 kg still very low. The carcass weight of young bulls, heifers and cows varied among different years, but no trend could be noticed, whereas carcass weight of old bulls decreased markedly (more than 50 kg). The carcass conformation decreased in all categories, in calves, young bulls and heifers by two thirds and in old bulls and cows by more than 0.9 of conformation class. The carcass fatness decreased in all categories too. The most pronounced decrease was noticed in the category of old bulls (0.6 class) and the least in young bulls (0.2 class). Most of the above mentioned changes occurred after the year 2002 in the category of cows and after the year 2001 in all other categories. The main reasons for changes in conformation and fatness were probably the changes in cattle breed structure in Slovenia