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Analysis of meat yield control at the CENSYRA test station during the last 13 years
Domingo Montes, A., Vara, G.
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CENSYRA (Animal Selection and Reproduction Center) aims towards conservation, improvement and development of livestock breeds. CENSYRA collaborates with breeders' associations, which are recognized by the official authorities for the sole purpose of executing a breeding program for purebred breeding animals registered in the breeding book, through different reproduction centers and test stations.
Beef recording is a basic tool for herd management as well as for genetic evaluation and breeding. That is why the breeders´ associations incorporate meat yield control within their breeding programs. According ICAR (International Committee of Animal Recording) beef recording requires recording schemes that can accommodate beef production as implemented in practice and may be undertaken in breeding farms, finishing farms, individual test stations, progeny test stations or abattoirs.
The present research aims to analyze the meat yield data at the CENSYRA test station during the last 13 years, (2007- 2019) taking three reference performance traits in two different beef cattle breeds, and watching its evolution through time.
The research is based on the results of 710 calves belonging to the Retinta (n=342) and Limousine (n=342) breeds. All animals entered the Test station had an age between 8 or 10 months, and a live weight between 350 and 425 kg. The test period duration was 112 days, with a previous phase to facilitate full adjustment to the station conditions (approximately 15 days).
The reference performance trait were:
- Chest girth circumference increase: Chest girth was recorded using a measuring tape the first day in Test station, and the 112 day
- Average daily weight gain is calculated as (FWSW)*1000 / (AF - AS), where AS be the age at test start, expressed in days, AF be the age at test end, expressed in days, SW be the live weight at test start, expressed in kilograms, FW be the live weight at end of test, expressed in kilograms. Average daily weight gain is expressed in grams per day
- Feed efficiency: Efficiency of gain in beef production can be defined as the ratio of nutrient input to beef output. In this research, it is expressed as the kg of feed consumed per kg of live weight gain
The results of the study were that the Limousine calves had better indexes of average daily weight gain and feed efficiency, but the Retinta calves presented major average chest girth circumference increases.
The Limousine breed average daily weight gain was 1407,17 gr. in the period from 2007 to 2019, while the average daily weight gain was 1573,89 gr. in the period 2012-2019 and 1709,38 gr. in 2019. This may mean that the evolution of Limousine breed yields is positive. The feed efficiency also improved throughout the study period. The average feed efficiency was 5,85 kg. in the period from 2007 to 2019, while the same trait was 4,96 in the period from 2012-2019, and 4,47 kg. in 2019.
The average chest girth circumference increase was 25,25 cm for Retinta breed calves, and 21,80 cm for Limousine breed calves. The Retinta breed average daily weight gain was 1307,68 gr. in the period from 2007 to 2019, and the average feed efficiency was 7,40 kg. in the same period. Unlike Limousine, the meat yields Retinta breed remain stable over the time. These data may be due to the fact that the Retinta breed breeding program is oriented towards maternal production, improving the characters of ease of delivery or weaning weight, and keeping meat yields constant over the time.
The final conclusion is that breeding programs can be useful for improving productive characters as in the beef cattle breeds.
Keywords: beef cattle, beef recording, test station, breeds, meat yield.
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