2012 Volume 18 Issue 6 Pages 761-768
This work aimed to study the features of Crioulo Lageano beef cattle and compare them with those of the Nellore, the main commercial breed of Brazil. Twelve cattle each of the Nellore and Crioulo Lageano were evaluated for carcass characteristics, muscle:carcass ratio and chemical composition of commercial cuts: topside, rum cap, eye round, sirloin, tenderloin and rib eye. In this study, the meat of Crioulo Lageano exhibited a higher marbling score than that of Nellore. Rib eye and sirloin cuts of Crioulo Lageano stood out due to their weight and intramuscular fat content. The following variables explained 69.4% of the characteristics of the Crioulo Lageano beef as determined by principal components analysis (PCA): hot carcass weight, hindquarter, forequarter, pistola, topside, rum cap, eye round, sirloin, tenderloin, rib eye and dressing. The muscle:carcass ratio and PCA values demonstrated the adaptability of the Crioulo Lageano cattle to the southern Santa Catarina Plateau.
