Carcass and Meat Characteristics of Bulls from Arsi, Boran, Harar and Holstein Frisian Crosses Cattle Breeds Finished under Similar Level of Concentrate Supplementation

A study was conducted to evaluate the effect of age and breeds (Arsi, Borana, HF-Cross Harar) on carcass meat characteristics bulls finished under similar feeding conditions. The experiment for 90 days at Beef farm Haramaya University. In this experiment, 24 were fed with roughage (60%) which contained grass hay wheat straw concentrate (40%) bran, noug (gucia abysica) cake, maize grain, limestone, salt ruminant premix. transported Bishoftu ELFORA export abattoir slaughter following procedure abattoir. result revealed that average weight, hot cold shrink loss, commercial dressing true percentage 179.1 kg, 86.8 82.7 kg 4.7%, 48.8% 78.3%, respectively. Total edible nonedible offal significantly (P Boran, Harar, HF-crossbred 78.1%, 77%, 72.8% 77.2% Meat yield predicted from fat thickness ribeye area 61% accuracy. Arsi attained highest (78%) early but decreased by 0.713 rate as animals advanced one digit whereas other showed increment in 1.98, 1.1 0.1 cross, Borana Harar breed bulls, respectively advanced. Yield fore shank, sirloin, top bottom sirloin primal cuts affected breed. had higher bone ration than cross Retailed 0.05) current study.