CARCASS TRAITS OF BABY BEEF SIMMENTAL CATTLE
SUMMARY The objective of this investigation was to determine the distribution within EUROP classes and carcass traits (weight and measurements, dressing percentage, shares of separated fat and dissected muscle, fat, bone and tendon tissues) of young Simmental bulls (n=13) and heifers (n=13), which were produced as Croatian baby beef designed for export. The EUROP classification showed a favourable conformation of both, bulls and heifers with about one third of carcasses graded as highest E class. The heifer’s fatness was less favourable and almost half of carcasses were classified as high fat class (4) and thus less valid. The amount of trimmed carcass fat was higher (P>0.001) in heifers than in bulls (6.68 % vs. 4.70 %) as well as the share of fat tissue after carcass dissection (10.58 % vs. 7.27 %). The share of muscle tissue in the carcass was higher (P>0.001) in bulls compared to heifers (70.45 % vs. 67.09 %). The bulls also showed a longer (P>0.05) carcass length (135.66 cm vs. 132.07 cm), as well as a larger (P>0.001) perimeter of the leg (122.65 cm vs. 116.38 cm) in comparison with heifers. The differences between bulls and heifers in dressing percentage, leg length, shares of Milanese cut, bone and tendon tissue in the carcass were small and not significant (P>0.05).