A comparison of Charolais × Jersey and Friesian animals for vealer and steer beef production

Abstract

Charolais sires were mated to Jersey dams and the progeny compared with Friesians for vealer (33 weeks) and steer (90 weeks) beef production. Nurse cows double-suckled one vealer of each breed. No significant difference in growth to slaughter between the Charolais x Jersey (C x J) and Friesian (0.79, 0.70 kg day-1 respectively) was recorded. The C x J vealers produced a significantly heavier carcase. Neither breed had sufficient fat cover (< 0.3 mm) for vealer production. No breed difference existed in the edible meat and fat proportions but the Friesian carcase had a larger percentage of bone. C x J had a significantly greater proportion of hindquarter in the carcase than the Friesian but no breed difference was recorded for either high or low priced cuts. Plunketting showed no difference in milk intake between breeds, but 24-hourly observations revealed that the C x J animals were usually the first to arrive at and last to leave the suckled cow. Steers double-suckled to weaning (1 2 weeks) and then run together until slaughtering gained 0.56 kg animal-1 day-1. There was no breed difference in carcase weights but the C x J had a significantly higher dressing percentage (53.1 vs. 50.5) and 25.3 per cent greater area of eye muscle. Again, fat thickness of the C x J (2.1 mm) and Friesian (1.8 mm) was far below the optimum (7-10 mm) required for the local market.