Veal production in dry mountain areas: performance and carcass characteristics | Caracterización de los rendimientos productivos y las canales categoría "ternera blanca" de terneros de raza parda de montaña
2011
Blanco, M., Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria de Aragón, Zaragoza (España) | Albertí, P., Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria de Aragón, Zaragoza (España) | Ripoll, G., Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria de Aragón, Zaragoza (España) | Casasús, I., Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria de Aragón, Zaragoza (España)
The aim of this trial was to study the production of veal according to the regulations of demanded Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) in the Mountain areas of Aragon. According to these regulations, calves have to be slaughtered before or at 8 months of age and there are minimum carcass weight (140 kg), conformation (R) and fatness (2). A group of spring-born calves were raised with their dams in the stable for 128 days and thereafter in high mountain pastures until weaning (226 d), when they were slaughtered. Two groups of autumn-born calves were raised by their dams in the stable until weaning. During lactation, one group received concentrates on ad libitum basis while the other did not. After weaning, supplemented calves were slaughtered (164 d) while the others were fed concentrates until they reached the same weight as their counterparts (208 d). Supplemented autumn-born calves had greater ADG and were younger at slaughter than their counterparts (P<0.001). Slaughter weights were similar among groups. Supplemented autumn-born carcasses reached the compulsory minimum weight and conformation but not fatness, whereas the other groups did not attain the required characteristics. Management has to be slightly modified to improve carcass characteristics.
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