Indian Journal of Animal Research

  • Chief EditorK.M.L. Pathak

  • Print ISSN 0367-6722

  • Online ISSN 0976-0555

  • NAAS Rating 6.50

  • SJR 0.263

  • Impact Factor 0.4 (2024)

Frequency :
Monthly (January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December)
Indexing Services :
Science Citation Index Expanded, BIOSIS Preview, ISI Citation Index, Biological Abstracts, Scopus, AGRICOLA, Google Scholar, CrossRef, CAB Abstracting Journals, Chemical Abstracts, Indian Science Abstracts, EBSCO Indexing Services, Index Copernicus
Indian Journal of Animal Research, volume 50 issue 1 (february 2016) : 112-117

Effects of different initial weights on fattening performance, slaughter and carcass characteristics of Holstein Friesian and Brown Swiss young bulls

A. Diler1, R. Kocyigit, M. Yanar*, R. Aydin, N. Tuzemen2
1<p>Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, Ataturk University, Erzurum-25240, Turkey.</p>
Cite article:- Diler1 A., Kocyigit R., Yanar* M., Aydin R., Tuzemen2 N. (2015). Effects of different initial weights on fattening performance, slaughter and carcass characteristics of Holstein Friesian and Brown Swiss young bulls . Indian Journal of Animal Research. 50(1): 112-117. doi: 10.18805/ijar.5929.

A total of 27 young bulls [13 Brown Swiss (BS) and 14 Holstein Friesian (HF)] were fed to investigate the effects of initial fattening weights [light weight group (LG= 176.0± 3.5 kg) and heavy weight group (HG= 213.8±3.7 kg)] on the performance, slaughter and carcass traits. With increasing initial fattening weight, final weight (P the initial fattening weights in favour of bulls in HG. Average SEUROP conformation score of HG carcasses was one class better than that of LG carcasses. It was concluded that young bulls in HG had better slaughter characteristics, carcass measurements and percentage of kidney, pelvic and heart fat than these in LG, while performance and feed efficiency ratio of the animals in the different weight groups were not statistically different.


  1. Akcan, A., Alpan, O. and Arpacik, R. (1992). The effects of tapioca and canola supplemented rations on fattening, slaughtering and carcass characteristics in Brown and Holstein bulls. Tr. J. Vet. Anim. Sci., 16:315-326. 

  2. AOAC, (2000). Official Methods of Analysis. Association of Official Analytical Chemists, 17th ed. Arlington, VA, USA

  3. Aydin, R., Yanar, M., Diler, A., Kocyigit, R. and Tuzemen, N. (2013). Effect of different slaughter and carcass traits of Brown Swiss and Holstein Friesian young bulls. Indian J. Anim. Res., 47: 10-16.

  4. Boggs, D. L. and Merkel, R.A. (1984). Live animal carcass evaluation and selection manual. 2nd Ed. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Co., Dubuque, Iowa (USA), 215 p. 

  5. Bozkurt, Y. and Kaya, I. (2008). Effect of initial weight on feedlot local breed cattle performance in the Mediterranean conditions. Arch. Zootech., 11:54-59.

  6. Demircan, V. (2008). The effect of initial fattening weight on sustainability of beef cattle production in feedlots. Span. J. Agric. Res., 6: 17-24

  7. EEC (1991). Council Regulation EEC No. 1026/91 of 22 April 1991 amending Regulation, (EEC) No. 1280/81 determining the community scale for the classification of carcasses of adult bovine animals. Official Journal, L106: 2-3.

  8. Elam, N. A, Gleghorn, J. F., Rivera, J. D, Galyean, M. L., Defoor, P. J, Brashears, M. M. and Younts-Dahl, S. M. (2003). Effects of live cultures of Lactobacillus acidophilus (strains NP45 and NP51) and Propionibacterium freudenreichii on performance, carcass, and intestinal characteristics, and Escherichia coli strain O157 shedding of finishing beef steers. J. Anim. Sci., 81: 2686-2698. 

  9. Guerrero, A., Valero, M. V., Campo, M. M. and Sanudo, C. (2013). Some factors that affect ruminant meat quality: from the farm to the fork. Review. Acta Scientiarum, 35: 335-347.

  10. Kizil, S. H. and Aydogan, M. (2014). Evaluation of Major Cattle Breeds in Turkey for Slaughter and Carcass Traits Using MANOVA and Multidimensional Scaling Technique. J. Faculty Vet. Med. Erciyes Univ., 11: 15-22.

  11. Koc, A. and Akman, N. (2003). Fattening performance and carcass characteristics of imported Holstein bulls at different initial weights. J. Anim. Prod., 44: 26-36

  12. Monson, F. Sanudo, C. and Sierra, I. (2004). Influence of cattle breed and ageing time on textural meat quality. Meat Sci., 68: 595–602

  13. Mundan, D., Gogebakan, S., Ergun, C. and Kaban, I. H. (2012). Evaluation of fattening performance of Holstein cattle at different initial weights under summer season conditions in the district of Silifke of Mersin province. J. Anim. Vet. Adv., 11: 186-190.

  14. NRC (1996). Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle. 7th Ed., National Academy Press, Washington DC. USA.

  15. Onenc, A. (2004). A comparison of Holstein Friesian, Brown Swiss, and Eastern Anatolian Red cattle slaughtered in Turkey for carcass conformation and fatness in SEUROP system. Czech. J. Anim. Sci., 49: 169-176.

  16. Ozdogan, M. (2007). A research on some fattening performance parameters of Holstein Friesian and Brown Swiss young bulls under summer season conditions in Aydin Province. J. Anim. Prod., 48:1-6. 

  17. Ozluturk, A., Tuzemen, N., Yanar, M., Esenbuga, N. and Dursun, E. (2004). Fattening performance, carcass traits and meat quality characteristics of calves sired by Charolais, Simmental and Eastern Anatolian Red sires mated to Eastern Anatolian Red dams. Meat Sci., 67: 463-470.

  18. Rosati, A., Tewolde, A. and Mosconi, C. (2007). Animal Production and Animal Science Worldwide. WAAP book of the year 2007. A review on developments and research in livestock systems. Wageningen Academic Publishers, The Netherland. P:131.

  19. SPSS (2004). SPSS for windows. Released 13.0 SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL., USA.

  20. Tuzemen, N., Yanar, M., Tellioglu, S. and Emsen, H. (1990). A comparative study on the fattening performances and carcass characteristics of Simmental, Holstein, Brown Swiss and Norvegian Red x Brown Swiss crossbred young bulls. Tr. J. Vet. Anim. Sci., 14:47-54. 

  21. Tyznik, W. J. (1992). Fundamentals of Animal Nutrition. Lab Manual. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Co, Dubuque, Iowa, USA. 

  22. Unlu , N., Yanar, M., Esenbuga, N., Ozluturk A., Yuksel, S. and Macit, M. (2008). Effect of days on feed on the performance and carcass characteristics of Eastern Anatolian Red young bulls. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 34:163-168.

  23. USDA (1989). Official United States standard for grades of carcass beef. Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA, Washington, DC, USA.

  24. Yerturk, M., Kaplan, O. and Avci, M. (2011). Fattening performance and dressing percentage of Holstein crossbred bulls at different initial weights in Southeastern Anatolia region. J. Anim. Vet. Adv., 10:606-609.

Editorial Board

View all (0)