Prediction of physical and chemical body compositions of purebred and crossbred Nellore cattle using the composition of a rib section

The goal of this research was to develop empirical equations to predict chemical and physical compositions of the carcass and the body using the composition of the 9th- to 11th-rib section (rib9–11) and other measurements. A database (n = 246) from 6 studies was developed and comprised 37 bulls (BU), 115 steers (STR), and 94 heifers (HF), of which 132 were Nellore (NEL), 76 were NEL x Angus crossbreds (NA), and 38 were NEL x Simmental crossbreds (NS). The right half carcass and the rib9–11 from the left half carcass were analyzed for ether extract (EE), CP, and water. The remaining components were chemically analyzed to determine the composition of the body. A stepwise procedure was used to determine the variable inclusion in the regression models. The variables included were EE in the rib9–11 (EER; %), CP in the rib9–11 (CPR; %), water in the rib9–11 (WR; %), visceral fat (VF; %; KPH and mesenteric fats), organs plus viscera (OV; %), carcass dressing percentage (CD; %), cold carcass weight (kg), and empty BW (EBW; kg). No sex or breed effects were found on EE and CP compositions of the carcass (CEE and CCP, respectively; %); the equations were as follows: CEE = 4.31 + 0.31 x EER + 1.37 x VF [n = 241; R2 = 0.83; mean square error (MSE) = 4.53] and CCP = 17.92 + 0.60 x CPR – 0.17 x CD (n = 238; R2 = 0.50; MSE = 1.58). Breed affected water content in the carcass (CW, %); the equations were as follows: CW = 48.74 + 0.28 x WR – 0.017 x EBW for NEL; CW = 46.69 + 0.32 x WR – 0.017 x EBW for NA; and CW = 38.06 + 0.48 x WR – 0.017 x EBW for NS (n = 243; R2 = 0.67; MSE = 5.17). A sex effect was found on body chemical EE composition (BWEE); the equations were as follows: BWEE = 2.75 + 0.33 x EER + 1.80 x VF for BU; BWEE = 1.84 + 0.33 x EER + 1.91 x VF for STR; and BWEE = 4.77 + 0.33 x EER + 1.28 x VF for HF (n = 243; R2 = 0.89; MSE = 3.88). No sex or breed effects were found on CP composition in the body (BWCP); the equation was as follows: BWCP = 14.38 + 0.24 x CPR (n = 240; R2 = 0.59; MSE = 1.06). A sex effect was found for body water content (BWW); the equations were as follows: BWW = 38.31 + 0.33 x WR – 1.09 x VF + 0.50 x OV for BU; BWW = 45.67 + 0.25 x WR – 1.89 x VF + 0.50 x OV for STR; and BWW = 31.61 + 0.47 x WR – 1.06 x VF + 0.50 x OV for HF (n = 241; R2 = 0.81; MSE = 3.84). The physical carcass composition indicated a breed effect on all components and a sex effect for fat in the carcass. We conclude that body and carcass compositions can be estimated with