Item | Castration agea | SE | p-value |
|---|
C90 | C180 |
|---|
Yield traitsb |
Carcass weight (kg) | 455.17 ± 39.86 | 469.24 ± 46.91 | 43.361 | 0.289 |
Back fat thickness (mm) | 13.17 ± 3.66 | 12.33 ± 3.97 | 3.811 | 0.469 |
Rib eye area (cm2) | 97.26 ± 11.66 | 95.86 ± 8.36 | 10.223 | 0.652 |
Yield index | 64.95 ± 2.78 | 64.90 ± 3.24 | 3.010 | 0.960 |
Yield grade scorec | 2.00 ± 0.67 | 1.90 ± 0.70 | 0.687 | 0.648 |
Quality traitsd |
Marbling score | 6.96 ± 1.33 | 6.52 ± 1.40 | 1.364 | 0.299 |
Meat color | 4.91 ± 0.51 | 4.76 ± 0.62 | 0.570 | 0.385 |
Fat color | 2.74 ± 0.45 | 2.57 ± 0.51 | 0.478 | 0.251 |
Texture | 1.09 ± 0.29 | 1.05 ± 0.22 | 0.257 | 0.615 |
Quality grade scoree | 4.22 ± 0.67 | 4.14 ± 0.65 | 0.663 | 0.712 |
- Means ± standard deviation
- aW80C90: weaning at 80 days of age and castration at 90 days of age; W80C180: weaning at 80 days of age and castration at 180 days of age; W130C90: weaning at 130 days of age and castration at 90 days of age; W130C180: weaning at 130 days of age and castration at 180 days of age
- bArea was measured from longissmus muscle taken at 13th rib and back fat thickness was also measured at 13th rib; Yield index was calculated using the following equation: 68.184 - (0.625 × back fat thickness (mm)) + (0.130 × rib eye area (cm2)) - (0.024 × dressed weight amount (kg)); Carcass yield grades from C (low yield) to A (high yield)
- cA grade = 3, B grade = 2, C grade = 1
- dGrading ranges are 1 to 9 for marbling score with higher numbers for better quality (1 = devoid, 9 = abundant); meat color (1 = bright red, 7 = dark red); fat color (1 = creamy white, 7 = yellowish); texture (1 = soft, 3 = firm); quality grades from 3 (low quality) to 1++ (very high quality)
- e1++ grade = 5, 1+ grade = 4, 1 grade = 3, 2 grade = 2, 3 grade = 1
