Morphological studies in tissue and body coat and carcass characteristics in restrictively fed Highland and Black Pied bulls

Aim of the investigations was to study different breeds of cattle fed restr ictively by concerning meat performance and different morphological charact eristics of the carcass. Experiments were carried out with 8 bulls each of the breeds Highland (Hi) and Black Pied Dairy Cattle (BP). During the 10 mo nth experimental period, from the age of 13 to 23 months, animals were rest rictively fed. During this time 4 biopsy samples were taken from the semite ndinosus muscle. Experimental animals were slaughtered and morphological characteristics of skin and hair were analysed. The muscle fibre diameter of the semitendinosu s muscle and the diameter of subcutaneous and intramuscular adipocytes were larger in Hi than in BP. Skin weight, skin thickness. hair length, hair de nsity and subcutaneous fat thickness were higher in Hi. Hair diameter of Hi and BP was similar. The carcass yield resulted in low values of 54.5%, (Hi) and 53.4% (BP) as e xpected by this feeding regime. The longissimus dorsi muscle area from Hi w as normal but that of BP was significantly lower. In other slaughter data n o significant differences existed between the two breeds. The higher marbli ng score in Hi was reflected by a higher fat content of the longissimus dor si muscle. The Hi-skin was heavier than the BP-skin. BP had a heavier rumen and heavier lungs. The weights of the other organs and body parts were sim ilar. No significant differences existed in the chemical composition of all parts of the slaughter carcass.