Carcass traits of two indigenous African (Sanga) breeds (Afrikaner) and Ngu
ni), one indigenous African composite breed (Bonsmara), one foreign composi
te breed (Santa Gertrudis) and two continental European breeds (Brown Swiss
and Pinzgauer) were compared. Treatment means were adjusted to the mean ov
erall subcutaneous fat proportion (47 g/kg). Despite differences in maturit
y type, only the Afrikaner dressed out significantly (P < 0.05) lower than
the foreign breeds. Both Sanga breeds and the Bonsmara had significantly hi
gher muscle yields than the Santa Gertrudis and Pinzgauer, mainly due to th
e high intermuscular fat of the latter two breeds. When muscle yield was ex
pressed per unit of bone, the Afrikaner and Bonsmara compared favourably wi
th the larger breeds, due to their low bone and intermuscular fat yield, wh
ile the Nguni had a relatively high bone yield. The Santa Gertrudis had the
lowest muscle yield due to its high bone and intermuscular fat yields, esp
ecially when compared with the smaller Bonsmara composite. Both Sanga breed
s had significantly higher (P < 0.05) proportions of total weight, meat and
bone (Afrikaner P>0.05) in the high-priced cuts compared with the other br
eeds at the same subcutaneous fat level. Despite the statistical significan
ce, differences were small in magnitude and probably of little commercial v
alue. At the same time mean subcutaneous fat proportion, tissue yield and d
istribution patterns expected of late maturing breeds were observed for sma
ller indigenous breeds, suggesting that it was specific breed effects rathe
r than maturity type effects, which were evident.