EFFECT OF GRAZING OR INDOOR FEEDING ON AN IMAL PERFORMANCE AND CARCASS AND MEAT QUALITY OF SIMMENTAL OR ANGUS X SIMMENTAL HEIFERS

The effects of feeding system and breed type on performance, carcass a nd meat quality of Angus x Simmental and Simmental heifers were examin ed in a two-factor (genotype and rearing system) experiment. The anima ls were kept from an initial weight of 200 kg either indoors with maiz e silage available ad libitum, together with 1.0 kg concentrate day (T 1), or at pasture for two seasons incorporating a winter feeding perio d with restricted energy supply (T2), or as T2 but with a 90-day indoo r finishing regime, feed as T1 (T3). Mean slaughter weights were 521 k g for Simmental and 477 kg for Angus x Simmental heifers. Average dail y liveweight gains for the treatments were 1071 g, 652 g and 731 g, re spectively, with no significant differences for breed type. Feeding sy stems had more effect on carcass and meat quality characteristics than breed type. Heifers on T1 were considered to contain more fat than th ose on T2 in all (objective and subjective) measurements for fatness, and were given higher marks for the subjective criteria evaluated by a taste panel and for colour. The marks achieved by the animals on T3 a pproached those on T1. Angus x Simmental heifers had higher i.m. fat c ontents in the mid. and higher scores for tenderness than pure Simment al heifers, and this was more pronounced on T2 and T3. Beef production systems should therefore be adjusted increasingly for breed and sex, taking into consideration feeding system based on the choice of basic ration and available energy, and with increased regard to carcass and meat quality.