CULLED BUFFALO HEIFERS AS A POTENTIAL SOURCE FOR BEEF PRODUCTION | ||
| Journal of Animal and Poultry Production | ||
| Article 3, Volume 29, Issue 9, September 2004, Pages 4903-4916 PDF (1.61 M) | ||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/jappmu.2004.239415 | ||
| Authors | ||
| Safaa S. A. Khalil,; laila N. Eid | ||
| Animal Production Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Ministry of Agriculture, Egypt | ||
| Abstract | ||
| Culled buffalo heifers as a potential source for meat production was investigated in this research. Eighteen culled buffalo heifers were divided into three similar groups according to their initial age and body weight (37 month and 385 kg) allotted to different finishing periods length of 56, 90 and 118 days. Each group was subdivided into two equal subgroups whereas three subgroups served as control ones. Animals were offered a concentrate mixture plus rice straw, whears, control groups were fed according to the maintenance requirements (NRC, 1988) while finished heifers were feeding according to Ranjhan (1999). During finishing eriods, body weight and feed intake were recorded biweekly. Blood samples were taken monthly from all animals. At the end of the finishing periods, twelve animals were slaughtered, then the right side of the carcasses were fabricated into different cuts. The average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion were significantly (P< 0.05) increased in finished groups. Average daily gain and feed conversion decreased by increasing the finishing period length. The performance of heifers fed on 56 days showed the ro:st one followed by those fed on 90 days. Finishing period of 118 days resulted in poor feed conversion and daily gain. Despite minor changes noted, mean concentrations of certain btood constituents were within the normal range. The improvement of carcass characteristics and meat quality were remarkably observed in finished groups, especially those finished for 56 days. Also, IInished groups were leaner than control groups. Finishing of culled buffalo heifers for a short finishing period particularly 56 and 90 resulted in increasing of the daily body weight gain and improvement of carcass characteristics and meat quality without any changes in some blood constituents especially cholesterol and total lipids concentrations. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Performance; finishing; carcass characteristics; carcass composition; cutability; meat quality; buffalo heifers | ||
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