Relationships among Performance Traits of Grade Hereford Bulls

The data from 100 bulls produced in the Michigan Beef Cattle Breeding Project were used to evaluate the relationship among performance traits of yearling bulls. Percent preferred cuts (trimmed wholesale loin and round) was influenced by carcass weight, the regression was −.005% per kg. of carcass weight. Percent preferred cuts adjusted for carcass weight was not closely associated with loin-eye area (correlations ranged from 0.04 and 0.33). Adjusted percent preferred cuts was negatively correlated with tenderness index (r=−.24 to −.38). Weight of preferred cuts was highly correlated with carcass weight (r=0.95 or higher). The correlations between percent round and percent loin were low (r=−.06 to 0.23 on a total carcass basis). There was a higher correlation between percent round (r=0.57 to 0.89) than between percent loin from the two sides (r=−.23 to 0.66). Variance in percent round was about four times as important as variance in percent loin in determining percent preferred cuts.