The influence of commercial type of heifers on carcass and beef quality parameters

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of the commercial type of heifers on the quality parameters of the carcass and selected qualitative nutritional indicators in beef meat (content of dry matter, intramuscular fat, protein, ash and meat colour parameters). Sixty-six heifers were selected for the experiment – 24 purebred Czech Fleckvieh heifers (C), 22 Czech Fleckvieh x Charolais (Ch) crossbreeds and 20 Czech Fleckvieh x Galloway (Ga) crossbreeds. The monitored indicators were evaluated in dependence on the breed of heifer. From the viewpoint of carcass quality, it is more advantageous for breeders to use a commercial crossbreed with the Charolais breed or to rear Czech Fleckvieh heifers in purebred form. Statistically significant evidence (P < 0.05) of differences in indicators of the nutritional quality of beef meat were found only for the content of intramuscular fat between the groups C and C x Ga. A difference was found (P < 0.05) in the intensity of colour of beef meat between the group C x Ga and the other groups of heifers. The palest shades were recorded in the meat of C x Ch crossbreeds.