Genetic parameters of beef quality traits for Piemontese cattle

The aim of this study was to estimate heritability of beef quality traits in Piemontese cattle. A total of 804 young bulls, progeny of 109 AI sires, were sampled from 124 fattening farms (FF) and slaughtered in different days at the same commercial abattoir. At slaughter, bulls were 523 +/- 73 d old and average carcasses weight (CW) was 417 +/- 45 kg. Carcasses were scored for fleshiness (EUS) and fatness. An individual beef sample was collected from Longissimus Thoracis 24 h after slaughter and held refrigerated at 4 degrees C for 8 d. Measured traits were pH at ageing (pH(8d)), beef colour (L*, a*, b*, Hue and Chroma), shear force (SF), drip (DL) and cooking loss (CL). A REML linear animal model including the fixed effects of FF, slaughter age and CW class and the random effect of the bull was used. The estimated heritability for EUS, SF, DL, Hue, L* and a* was of intermediate magnitude (from 0.22 to 0.49) whereas heritabilities for all other traits were low (from 0.04 to 0.16).