Prediction of total lean of Kedah-Kelantan cattle and its crosses from live body measurements

I. Dahlan, D. Mohd. Mahyuddin, O. Ahmad Shokri and O.Mohd. Ariff

Abstract

Equations for predicting the quantity of lean meat for Kedah-Kelantan (KK) bulls and its crosses, Brahman x KK (BK), Hereford x KK (HK), Friesian x KK (FK) and Jersey x KK (JK) were developed from 16 body measurements of 91 bulls (fasted body weight : 180 - 385 kg). Bulls were slaughtered, their carcasses chilled and manually separated into lean, fat, bone, head, skin, feet and tail components. The average fasted body weight and lean meat weight of the bulls were 271.8 kg and 103.4 kg respectively. Best prediction equations were selected using maximum R² criterion from stepwise regression procedures. The model which included the 16 variables, produced R² value of 0.84 in predicting total lean meat. The models for specific breedtypes which included all the 16 variables, produced higher R² value of 0.99. Models with girth measurements gave higher R² values. Hear t girth was the best one-variable model selected and was most practical for field application. The one-variable model for predicting total lean meat (TLM) were: TLM = 1.68 HG - 159.58 for all breedtypes, TLM = 1.56 PG - 178.82 for KK, TLM = 1.94 HG - 197 .60 for BK, TLM : 5.46 CL - 97 .06 for HK, TLM : 1 .44 HG - 125.38 for FK and TLM = 2. 18 HG - 237 .62 for JK.

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