<b>Non-carcass body components of steers and young steers finished on feedlot</b> - DOI: 10.4025/actascianimsci.v31i1.542

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the non-carcass body components of steers and young steers finished on feedlot. Twenty-four steers were used, being twelve with initial mean age of 8.1 months (super young) and twelve with initial mean age of 20 months (young). The animals were slaughtered at 22 and 13.1 months of age, respectively. The desired carcass weight was 180 kg with a minimum of 3 mm backfat thickness. Actual carcass weight and backfat thickness were 180.30 kg and 3.08 mm and 187.39 kg and 2.94 mm, respectively, for steers and young steers. Steers had higher (p < 0.05) lung weight in absolute and relative terms than the young steers (3.96 versus 3.37 kg and 1.31 versus 1.15%, respectively). The steers had higher (p < 0.05) absolute (11.55 versus 10.41 kg) and relative weight (3.83 versus 3.56%) of the total vital organs than the young steers. The absolute weight and relative to empty body weight for total gastrointestinal tract were higher for the steer category (p < 0.05), except for abomasum. These differences partially explain the higher carcass dressing percentage of the young steers.