Forty five crossbreed F1 Limousin x Nellore bulls, averaging 14 months of age and initial body weight of 330 kg, were used to evaluate the effects of different levels of concentrate (25.0, 37.5, 50.0, 62.5, and 75.0%) and two diet balance methods (one, almost isoprotein and the second, changing protein as energy of the diet change) on carcass yield in relation to live weight (CYLW) and empty body weight (CYEBW), and basic cut yields: spare ribs, whole acem, whole shoulder, round, whole rump, longissimus muscle area, carcass length, percentage of muscle fat and bone (B) and the amount of muscle, fat (FC) and bone in the carcass. Five animals were slaughtered in the beginning of the experiment as reference, to estimate the initial empty body of animals that remained in feedlot. The animals were full fed up to the slaughter weight of 500 kg. The coast-cross grass hay was used as forage source in the diet. A completely randomized design 2 x 5 factorial, with four replicates, was used. The two diet balance methods only affected the CYEBW. The CYLW and FC linearly increased and B linearly decreased as the concentrate level increase in the diet. The dietary levels of concentrate did not influence the basic cut yields. The other traits were not influenced by the concentrate level or by the diet balance method.
carcass; balance method; concentrate level
