Rm. Koch et al., GROWTH, DIGESTIVE CAPABILITY, CARCASS AND MEAT CHARACTERISTICS OF BISON-BISON, BOS-TAURUS, AND BOS X BISON, Journal of animal science, 73(5), 1995, pp. 1271-1281
Three experiments involving 39 Bos taurus, 14 Bison bison, and 20 Bos
x Bison fed diets differing in proportions of roughage and concentrate
to evaluate growth, digestive capability, carcass, sind meat characte
ristics are reported. Bos taurus consumed more (P <.05) feed per day a
nd gained more (P <.05) rapidly than bison br Bos x Bison except durin
g a period of extremely cold weather. Efficiency of gain was similar f
or all species types. There was no tendency for bison or Bos x Bison.
to gain more than Bos taurus on the higher-roughage diets. Bison and B
os x Bison had higher (P <.10 to .01) digestion coefficients for all c
omponents evaluated (i.e., DM, CP, GE, MDF, hemicellulose, and cellulo
se). Species x diet interactions were not significant, indicating that
the higher digestion coefficients of bison were not specific to high-
roughage diets. Bison and their hybrids had more (P <.05) lean meat an
d less (P <.01) fat trim in all wholesale cuts except the chuck and ri
b cuts. Fat thickness at the 12th rib of bison was higher ( P <.01) th
an that of Bos taurus because most of the carcass fat of bison is loca
ted over the thoracic area. Bison and Bos x Bison had higher (P <.01)
dressing percentages and a lower (P <.01) proportion of their carcass
in the hindquarter than Bos taurus. Shear force and sensory tenderness
scores indicated bison were more (P <.05) tender and had a flavor dif
ferent (P <.01) from that of Bos taurus. Bison and Bos x Bison had mor
e (P <.01) cholesterol in the longissimus muscle and less (P <.05) in
the subcutaneous fat than Bos taurus. Bison had a lower ( P <.01) perc
entage of white and higher percentage of intermediate muscle fibers th
an Bos taurus with essentially no difference in percentage of red fibe
rs.