GROWTH AND CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS OF CROSSBRED STEERS OUT OF JERSEY COWS

Steers out of Jersey cows and sired by either Simmental (n = 25), Limousin (n = 27), Murray Grey (n = 30), or Hereford (n = 28) bulls were grazed together from an age of about 12 weeks until slaughter at about 29 months in two trials commencing in sequential years. Simmental-cross steers grew faster than Murray Grey-cross steers in both trials and faster than Limousin-cross steers in one trial. Limousin-cross steers grew faster than Murray Grey-cross and Hereford-cross steers in the first trial, but not in the other. Carcasses of the four sire-breed groups did not differ in fat colour, but pH of the longissimus muscle was higher for carcasses from Simmental and Limousin-cross animals in one trial. Carcasses of the later-maturing Simmental- and Limousin-cross cattle were longer, had less fat, and had heavier hindquarter cuts after adjustment to a common carcass weight. Heavier hindquarter cuts were also obtained from Limousin-cross carcasses than from Simmental-cross carcasses of the same weight. We conclude that differences between the four sire breeds in growth and carcass characteristics of their crossbred steer offspring from Jersey cows were similar to those reported previously for these four sire breeds when crossed with other dam breeds.