Carcass quantitative characteristics of steers from different breeds fed diet with different energy levels

The objective of the experiment was to evaluate the carcass quantitative characteristics of feedlot finished steers, slaughtered at 13-14 months of age. Sixteen calves with nine months of age and average initial weight of 220 kg, being eight Aberdeen Angus - AA and eight Hereford - HE, were used. The animals were submitted to two levels of energy, 3.07 or 3.18 Mcal/kg of DM. The complete randomized experimental design was used, with a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement (two breeds vs. two energy levels). Corn silage with 36% of grain in DM was used as roughage. In the treatments with the lower energy level, the concentrate level was 12% and in the higher energy level, 32% of the diet DM. The animals were slaughtered when the average estimated carcass weight reached 190 kg. The AA animals showed higher hot carcass dressing percentage (54.95 vs. 53.75%), higher leg length (64.12 vs. 62.12 cm) and larger Longissimus muscle area per 100 kg of carcass (29.31 vs. 27.41 cm(2)). The animals fed higher energy level in the diet showed higher leg length (71.75 vs. 64.50 cm) and better carcass conformation score (11.25 vs. 10.12 points). Significant interaction between breed and energy level was observed for subcutaneous fat thickness, and the higher fat thickness was observed for the carcasses of HE animals, that were fed the lowest energy level.