Abstract
The aim of the present study was to assess the carcass and meat characteristics of feedlot steers in Brazil according to genetic group through a systematic review and meta-analysis. An electronic article search was conducted at the Scielo and Google Scholar databases and data were grouped according to genetic predominance. The results were tested for heterogeneity and submitted to a normality test and F test and the means were compared by the Tukey test. Predominantly British steers were finished at a younger age, required longer confinement times and displayed lower hot carcass weights and smaller loin eye areas at slaughter. Muscle carcass percentages were higher in Continental and Synthetic steers compared to British and Zebu steers, while fat percentages were higher in British and Zebu steers compared to continental and synthetic breeds. Meat marbling was higher in British, continental and crossbreed steers compared to synthetic and zebu steers. A British steer origin allows for decreased slaughter age, although leading to reduced hot carcass weight, while a genetic Zebu predominance can produce high fat percentage carcasses.
Keywords
british; continental; subcutaneous fat.