Relationship Between Bovine Abdominal Fat Necrosis, Sire, Market Weight Per Day and Meat Productivity of Japanese Black Heifers

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate relationship between bovine abdominal fat necrosis (BFN), sire, market weight per day and meat productivity of Japanese Black heifers. Two models were used to analyze factors associated with the outbreak of BFN. We analyzed the relationship of sire line and market weight per day with the occurrence of BFN in 208 heifers with sires from three major sire lines (out of 290 normal and emergency slaughtered heifers) (model 1). Additionally, we investigated the association between sire and market weight per day with the incidence of BFN in 150 heifers having either of seven sires, each having at least 10 progeny records (out of 290 normal and emergency slaughtered heifers) (model 2). The results showed that the difference in sires alone was significantly related to the occurrence of BFN. The average daily gain during the fattening period, final weight and carcass traits were compared by difference in the presence and absence of BFN in 147 normal slaughtered heifers (out of 150 heifers in model 2). Heifers with BFN showed a higher marbling score than those without BFN. Our findings emphasize the importance of clarifying genetic variability among sires to reduce the occurrence of this disease, and suggest a probable relationship between the increase in intramuscular fat content and the outbreak of BFN.