The research was carried out in Felixlândia Experimental Farm -- MG <FONT FACE=Symbol>¾</FONT> EPAMIG, from July to October 1997, to determine the effect of concentrate supplements on cuts percentage and percentage of bone, muscle and fatty tissues in the carcass of the twenty crossbred Limousin-Nelore males aging 22-23 months and average slaughter weight of 459 kg were used. These animals were previously submitted to supplementation treatments in Brachiaria decumbens postponed pasture during dry season for 112 days. The treatments were: T1 (reference treatment), mineralized salt; T2 (75% cracked corn), T3 (50% cracked corn), T4 (25% cracked corn) and T5 (wheat bran). The treatments had 24,1% of CP, NDT varying from 67,8% (T5 - farelo de trigo) to 85,6% (T2 - 75% milho) and were provided daily 3.70 kg of DM/head (amounts equivalent to 1% live weight on natural matter basis). The carcass characteristics of weight and length, percentage of dressing in the carcass, shoulder, whole fore ribs, flank, whole rump and cushion percentage in the carcass, were verified, as well as the subcutaneous fat thickness, the loin eye area, the percentages of fatty tissue, muscles and bones and the muscle-bone ratio in the carcass. The greastest muscular development of the supplemented animals groups resulted in heavier carcass (257.0 vs. 203.9 kg), with least bone percentage (15.76 vs. 21.71%), greatest muscle:bone ratio (3.6 vs. 2.9) and carcass with better quality in relation to the carcasses of the animals non supplemented group. The supplemented animals and the non supplemented ones did not show differences in relation to the dressing percentage in the carcasses and carcass length, and the shoulder, whole fore ribs, whole rump and cushion percentage in the carcass, loin eye area and the muscles percentage in the carcass.
carcass characteristics of young bulls; meat production; finishing beef young bulls grazing tropical pasture
