COMPOSITION OF CARCASS CUTS IN YOUNG SIMMENTAL BULLS AND HEIFERS
The proportions of main cuts (tender loin, leg, back, shoulder, upper and lower sub-shoulder, ribs, breast, neck, belly, front and hind shank) and tissues (muscle, fat, bones and connective tissue) in the carcasses of young Simmental bulls (n = 13) and heifers (n = 13) were determined by carcass dissection and compared. Bulls had higher proportion of shoulder, neck and front shank while the share of back, ribs and breasts were higher in heifers. The share of carcass cuts of category II was higher in bulls. They also had higher proportion of muscle in most of the main cuts (leg, back, shoulder, upper and lower sub-shoulder, breast, neck and belly). In contrast, the proportion of fat tissue was generally higher in heifers’ cuts (leg, shoulder, upper and lower subshoulder, ribs, breast, neck and belly). Consequently, the proportion of muscle tissue was higher in all carcass cuts categories in bulls while share of fat tissue was higher in heifers. Proportions of bones and connective tissue in the main cuts and carcass cuts categories were similar between bulls and heifers. Overall, the average share of muscle, fat, bones and connective tissue in the carcass halves was 70.45, 7.46, 16.33 and 5.76% in bulls, and 67.09, 10.72, 16.25 and 5.94% in heifers, respectively.