Carcass Quality Characteristics in Heifers of Reciprocal Crosses of the Angus, Charolais and Hereford Breeds

This paper reports results from an experiment designed to evaluate heterosis effects on carcass quality traits in beef cattle. The experiment included records of short-fed and long-fed heifers of the Angus, Charolais and Hereford breeds and the six reciprocal crosses among them. The influence of heterosis was estimated by comparison of the crossbreds with the average of straightbreds out of comparable cows and sired by the same bulls. This report is concerned with estimates of heterosis and other related effects for age at slaughter, carcass conformation grade, marbling score, Warner-Bratzler shear value and carcass quality grade for heifers produced on short-fed and long-fed full-feeding regimens. The general plan of the experiment was described by Sagebiel et al. (1969). The design of the experiment showing the number of sires, dams and heifers involved in this study is shown in table 1. Data from three calf crops (1965, 1966 and 1967) were used in the analysis.