Modelos de predição para peso e rendimento de cortes cárneos através de medidas no animal vivo.

Os objetivos deste trabalho foram desenvolver equações de predição com a finalidade de estimar o peso e o rendimento de cortes do traseiro de novilhos Braford através de medidas por ultrassom ?in vivo? e avaliar a inclusão das medidas de espessura de gordura na garupa e de profundidade do músculo gluteus medius e as suas relações com a acurácia dos modelos de regressão. Foram utilizados 100 novilhos com peso vivo médio de 472 Kg e 24 meses de idade. Nas 48 horas pré abate foram coletadas medidas de ultrassom da área do músculo longissimus (AOLUS); espessura de gordura subcutânea (EGSUS) no sítio anatômico entre a 12ª e 13ª costelas; espessura de gordura na garupa (EGP8US) e a profundidade do músculo Gluteus medius (PP8US). As equações para peso de cortes do traseiro (PCT) e para rendimento de cortes do traseiro (RCT) foram desenvolvidas através do procedimento estatístico de seleção de variáveis Stepwise. As características AOLUS, EGSUS, EGP8US e PP8US apresentaram médias de 67,13 cm2; 3,43 mm; 6,14 mm e 86,91 mm respectivamente. Os coeficientes de correlação de Pearson entre as medidas obtidas por ultrassom e na carcaça para AUOLUS e AOLC foram de 0,89, para EGSU e EGSC de 0,92. O R2 para PCT foi de 0,71 e para RCT de 0,31 respectivamente. As variáveis EGP8US e PP8US explicam 11% da variação do rendimento dos cortes do traseiro e devem ser incorporadas no modelo

Carcass characteristics and meat quality of Aberdeen Angus steers finished on different pastures.

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Prediction of retail beef yield, trim fat and proportion of high-valued cuts in Nellore cattle using ultrasound live measurements.

The objective of this study was to develop equations to predict retail product and fat trim (weights and percentages) for Nellore (Bos indicus) cattle. Live ultrasound measurements of the longissimus muscle area, backfat thickness at the 12th rib and rump fat depth and shrunk body weight were obtained from 218 Nellore steers to predict weights and percentages of carcass retail product, pistola retail product and fat trimmings. After slaughter, carcasses were deboned and weighed and percentages of retail cuts were obtained directly. Measurements taken directly in the carcasses explained 97% and 36% of variation in carcass retail product weight and percentage, and 94% and 36% of variation in pistola retail weight and percentage, respectively. Live measurements explained 93% of carcass retail product weight and 39% of carcass retail product percentage. Lower accuracies were observed for pistola retail product weight (R2=0.87) and percentage (R2=0.33). Accuracies for fat trimmings weight and percentage were 79% and 55%, respectively. Ultrasound rump fat thickness showed greater correlations with retail product and fat trimmings (weights and percentages) when compared with ultrasound backfat thickness. The weight and percentage of retail products and of trimmable fat can be estimated in Nellore steers from live animal measurements, with similar accuracy to equations developed based on carcass measurements obtained at slaughter.201

Performance of heifers supplemented with different levels of corn on pasture

In southern Brazil, production systems are typically extensive and rely on grazing that often results in limited forage quantity and quality, decreasing efficiency and compromising reproductive tract development. The aim of this study was to evaluate the productive performance and reproductive tract development of heifers supplemented with different levels of corn on pasture. The following supplemental treatments were evaluated: T0 [40 g trace-mineralized salt per heifer per day (80 g phosphorus/kg product)]; T1 [0.5% of body weight (BW) cracked corn + 40 g trace-mineralized salt per heifer per day]; T2 [1% of BW cracked corn + 40 g trace-mineralized salt per heifer per day], and T3 [1.5% of BW cracked corn + 40 g trace-mineralized salt per heifer per day]. Thirty-nine phenotypically homogeneous Brangus heifers (average BW = 184±17 kg, average age = 269±27 days) raised on winter pasture (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) were randomized to 13 paddocks (one hectare each), with three heifers/paddock, to evaluate the effect of feeding different energy levels. Body condition score, average daily gain, frame score, dry matter availability, reproductive tract score, and stocking density were evaluated. The body condition score, average daily gain, reproductive tract score and stocking density increased (P<0.05) with increasing level of corn supplementation. Daily supplementation levels lower than 1.0% on Lolium multiflorum Lam. pasture can compromise the target breeding weight at 13 months of age. Therefore, daily supplementation at 1.0% of BW after weaning is a strategy to improve the economic and biological efficiency of livestock production systems, allowing to increase stocking density and to anticipate the age of heifers at first breeding