Retail product (RP) yields of 888 steers were obtained from mating Hereford (H) and Angus (A) dams to H or A (HA), Charolais (Ch), Gelbvieh (G b), Pinzgauer (Pz), Shorthorn (Sh), Galloway (Gw), Longhorn (Lh), Nellore (Ne), Piedmontese (Pm), and Salers (Sa) sires. The yields were measured at two trim levels (.30 and .00 in.). Data were evaluated at constant age (426 d), carcass weigh t (714 lb), and marbling (Smal l ) endpo ints. At a constant age 00

Genetic evaluations for traditional carcass characteristics have been published for limited numbers of sires by various beef breed associations. Collection of carcass information is difficult, which limits the amount of information generated for these traits. The routine carcass field data collected do not include observations for measures of tenderness or any information on sensory panel assessment of meat quality, prohibitive due to costs and logistics. An objective of the National Cattlemens Beef Association’s Carcass Merit Project (CMP) was to collect data on tenderness and sensory panel assessments along with the traditional carcass characteristics from a set of legacy bulls from all breeds participating in the project. These data are being used to provide information for the calculation of expected progeny differences (EPD’s) and to validate the segregation of quantitative trait loci (QTL’s), discovered in the Texas A&M Angleton Project, in these breeds. Eleven QTL’s are being validated, six for Warner-Bratzler shear force, three for marbling, and one each for sensory panel tenderness scores and rib eye area. Estimates of heritability for shear force measures on Simmental and Angus cattle in the project were 0.22 and 0.25, respectively. Genetic evaluations, ignoring QTL information, for Simmental bulls in the CMP result in a spread of sire EPD’s of 0.45 kg of shear force. To date, nine bulls representing four breeds have completed the progeny test required and the DNA analysis in the CMP. Five of the six tested shear force QTL’s have been found to be heterozygous (p≤0.05) in at least one bull. One of the nine bulls has been found to be heterozygous for the QTL for the sensory panel score of tenderness. The difference in progeny group performance, groups defined by which marker allele was inherited for the tenderness QTL, in one Simmental bull was almost as large as the spread in sire EPD’s for that breed. A pleiotropic effect of one QTL (tested as a shear force QTL) with marbling has been found. Evidence for segregation of the three marbling QTL and the rib eye area QTL has not been found in the nine tested bulls.

Breed differences in performance characteristics are an important genetic resource for improving efficiency of beef production. Diverse breeds are required to exploit heterosis and complementarity through crossbreeding and new composite breeds and to match genetic potential with diverse markets, feed resources and climates. This report presents results from the Germplasm Evaluation Program at the Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center (MARC) to characterize breeds of cattle representing diverse biological types for bioeconomic traits that influence quantity and value of production.

Preliminary data representing two of five calf crops in Cycle IV of the Germ Plasm Evaluation Program are reported. Carcass and meat data from 454 steers produced by mating 11 sire breeds to Hereford and Angus dams were obtained. Hereford (H) and Angus (A) sires born in the late 1960's (original) and also 1982 to 1984 (new) were compared. Steers sired by the new sample of H and A sires were heavier at slaughter than those of original sires, whereas marbling and percentages of trimmed retail product (% TRP) have not changed. HA and AH had lower % TRP than most crosses. Longhorn crosses were lightest of all crosses and were average for % TRP and % Choice. Shorthorn crosses were similar to new HA and AH in % TRP and had a higher % Choice than all crosses. Piedmontese crosses were lighter and dressed higher than new HA and AH. A low percentage graded Choice, but they excelled in muscling, trimness, and % TRP. Steaks from Piedmontese crosses were more tender than those from most breeds. Salers crosses had similar weights, less fat, larger ribeyes, and higher % TRP than new HA and AH, but a lower % Choice. Ne110re crosses excelled in dressing percentage but had the least tender steaks. Breeds differed significantly in slaughter and carcass weights, dressing percentages, carcass composition, marbling, and meat tenderness. Breeds did not rank the same for marbling as they did for tenderness.

Journal of Food ScienceVolume 40, Issue 4 p. 886-887 THE ARMOUR TENDEROMETER AS A PREDICTOR OF COOKED MEAT TENDERNESS D. R. CAMPION, D. R. CAMPION USDA Meat Animal Research Center, ARS, Clay Center; NE 68933 andSearch for more papers by this authorJ. D. CROUSE, J. D. CROUSE USDA Meat Animal Research Center, ARS, Clay Center; NE 68933 andSearch for more papers by this authorM. E. DIKEMAN, M. E. DIKEMAN Dept. of Animal Science & industry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506Search for more papers by this author D. R. CAMPION, D. R. CAMPION USDA Meat Animal Research Center, ARS, Clay Center; NE 68933 andSearch for more papers by this authorJ. D. CROUSE, J. D. CROUSE USDA Meat Animal Research Center, ARS, Clay Center; NE 68933 andSearch for more papers by this authorM. E. DIKEMAN, M. E. DIKEMAN Dept. of Animal Science & industry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506Search for more papers by this author First published: July‐August 1975 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2621.1975.tb00582.xCitations: 10 Contribution No. 235, Dept. of Animal Science & Industry, Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station. Mention of a trade name, proprietary product, or specific equipment does not constitute a guarantee or warranty by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture and does not imply its approval to the exclusion of other products that may be suitable. AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onEmailFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. REFERENCES Carpenter, Z.L., Smith, G.C. and Butler, O.D. 1972. Assessment of beef tenderness with the Armour tenderometer. J. Food Sci. 37: 126. 10.1111/j.1365-2621.1972.tb03400.x Web of Science®Google Scholar Dikeman, M.E., Tuma, H.J., Glimp, H.A., Gregory, K.E. and Allen, D.M. 1972. Evaluation of the tenderometer for predicting bovine muscle tenderness. J. Anim. Sci. 34: 960. Web of Science®Google Scholar Hanson, L.J. 1972. Development of Armour tenderometer for tenderness evaluation of beef carcasses. J. Texture Studies 3: 146. 10.1111/j.1745-4603.1972.tb00619.x Google Scholar Hendrickson, R.L., Marsden, J.L. and Morrison, R.D. 1972. An evaluation of the Armour tenderometer for an estimation of beef tenderness. J. Food Sci. 37: 857. 10.1111/j.1365-2621.1972.tb03687.x Web of Science®Google Scholar Huffman, D.L. 1974. An evaluation of the tenderometer for measuring beef tenderness. J. Anim. Sci. 38: 287. 10.2527/jas1974.382287x Web of Science®Google Scholar Luckett, R.L., Bidner, T.D. and Turner, J.W. 1972. The tenderometer as a measure of beef tenderness. J. Anim. Sci. 34: 347 (Abstr.). Google Scholar Parrish, F.C. Jr., Olson, D.G., Miner, B.E., Young, R.B. and Snell, R.L. 1973. Relationship of tenderness measurements made by the Armour tenderometer to certain objective, subjective and orzanoleptic properties of bovine muscle. J. Food Sci. 38: 1214. 10.1111/j.1365-2621.1973.tb07241.x Web of Science®Google Scholar Citing Literature Volume40, Issue4July‐August 1975Pages 886-887 ReferencesRelatedInformation