Data from three comparative slaughter experiments with individually fed Nellore bulls (n = 31) and steers (n = 66) were utilized to determine their NEm and NEg requirements when fed high-forage diets. The experimental design provided ranges in ME intake, BW, and ADG for the development of regression equations to predict NEm and NEg requirements. The Nellore bulls (Trial 1) were divided into two intake levels (ad libitum and 65% of the ad libitum). The steers (Trials 2 and 3) were allocated to three intake levels (ad libitum and 55 and 70% of the ad libitum). In both trials, there were three slaughter groups within each intake level. The three end points for the bulls were different days on treatment (100, 150, and 190 d and 130, 180, and 200 d, respectively, for older and younger animal subgroups). The steers were slaughtered when animals of the ad libitum treatment reached 400, 440, and 480 kg shrunk BW (SBW) on average for the first, second, and third group, respectively. For all body composition determinations, whole empty body components were weighed, ground, and subsampled for chemical analysis. In each of the trials, initial body composition was determined with equations developed from a baseline slaughter group, using SBW and empty BW (EBW), fat (EBF), and protein (EBP) as variables. The NEm was similar for bulls and steers; NEm averaged 77.2 kcal/ kg0.75 EBW. However, the efficiency of conversion of ME to net energy for maintenance was greater for steers than for bulls (68.8 and 65.6%, respectively), indicating that bulls had a greater ME requirement for maintenance than steers (5.4%; P < 0.05). Our analyses do not support the NRC (2000) conclusion that Nellore, a Bos indicus breed, has a lower net energy requirement for maintenance than Bos taurus breeds. An equation developed with the pooled data to predict retained energy (RE) was similar to the NRC (2000) equation. A second equation was developed to predict RE adjusted for degree of maturity (u): RE = (6.45 - 2.58/u) x EWG x e(0.469) x u), where u = current EBW/final EBW in which final EBW was 365 kg for steers and younger bulls and 456 kg for older bulls at 22% EBF, respectively.

RESUMO -Foram obtidas equações de regressão linear simples para estimar a composição química corporal de bovinos Santa Gertrudes, a partir da composição química e física do corte das 9-10-11 a costelas. Quinze tourinhos, entre nove a 15 meses de idade e de 220 a 505 kg de peso, foram mantidos confinados. Os animais foram abatidos após jejum completo de 18 horas, sendo que seis deles foram abatidos após adaptação. A composição química em água, proteína, extrato etéreo e minerais foi determinada no corte das costelas e em amostras obtidas após moagem completa e homogeneização de todos os tecidos corporais, divididos em: sangue, couro, cabeça + patas, vísceras e carcaça. A composição física do corte das costelas foi obtida por separação manual do músculo, gordura e ossos. O peso do corpo vazio foi altamente correlacionado ao peso da carcaça quente (r² = 0,99). As porcentagens de água e extrato etéreo das 9-10-11 a costelas mostraram-se altamente correlacionadas com a composição química do corpo vazio, o que não ocorreu para as porcentagens de proteína e minerais. Esses teores foram calculados pela composição do corpo vazio desengordurado. A composição física do corte das costelas foi eficiente para estimar as porcentagens de água, extrato etéreo e minerais do corpo vazio, utilizando-se a porcentagem de gordura separável das costelas, mas não para estimar o teor de proteína. A composição física do corte das costelas demonstrou ser uma técnica eficiente, mas a composição química apresentou maiores coeficientes de determinação e menores erros da estimativa. Como a porcentagem de água no corpo vazio e no corte das costelas (r² = 0,95), e as porcentagens de água e de extrato etéreo no corpo vazio foram altamente correlacionadas (r² = 0,94), a porcentagem de água no corte das 9-10-11 a costelas poderia ser a única variável para estimativa da composição química corporal. Palavras-chave: bovinos, composição do corpo vazio, determinação indireta Estimation of the Empty Body Chemical Composition of Santa Gertrudis Bulls Using the Chemical and Physical Composition of the 9-10-11 th Ribs CutABSTRACT-Simple linear regressions to estimate empty body chemical composition of Santa Gertrudis young bulls were obtained, using the physical and chemical composition of the 9-10-11 th ribs cut. Fifteen intact males, from nine to fifteen months of age and from 220 to 505 kg of liveweight, were kept confined. They were slaughtered after 18 hours without water and food, and six of them were slaughtered after adaptation period. The content of water, protein, lipid and ash were determined on the ribs cut and on the blood, hide, head + feet, visceras and carcass, and samples were obtained after quantitatively grinding and homogenizing the entire tissue. The physical composition of the ribs was determined by manual separation of bone, lean and fat.Empty body weight was closely related to hot carcass weight (r² = 0.99). Percent water and lipid of the 9-10-11 th ribs cut were closely related to the empty body chemical composition, but not to the ...

Determination of body composition is very important in nutritional and growth regulation studies. However, determination of body composition by grinding and analyzing all tissues is unfeasible as an experimental routine. The objective of this study was to test methodologies for body composition estimation. Linear measurements and chemical composition of the 9-10-11th and 10th rib sections were used to estimate chemical composition of 31 Nellore (Zebu) intact males with an average 333.5 kg body weight (range of 180.5 to 496.0) and 16.1% empty body lipid (range of 10.6 to 22.1). Composition of ribs, carcass and empty body were obtained by quantitatively grinding, homogenizing and sampling all body tissues. The 9-10-11th composition was a good estimator of body composition with r² of 0.99; 0.98; 0.98 and 0.91 for estimates of kg water, lipid, protein, and ash; with low standard errors of the estimate. Results with the 10th rib cut were similar (r² of 0.98, 0.98, 0.97 and 0.88 for the same regressions). Data are in the range of published results, however coefficients of regression were statistically different from those published for Bos taurus populations. Rib cut composition is a good parameter for the estimation of chemical body composition, but specific equations must be used for Zebu animals.

Data from 9 studies were compiled to evaluate the effects of 20 yr of selection for postweaning weight (PWW) on carcass characteristics and meat quality in experimental herds of control Nellore (NeC) and selected Nellore (NeS), Caracu (CaS), Guzerah (GuS), and Gir (GiS) breeds. These studies were conducted with animals from a genetic selection program at the Experimental Station of Sertãozinho, São Paulo State, Brazil. After the performance test (168 d postweaning), bulls (n = 490) from the calf crops born between 1992 and 2000 were finished and slaughtered to evaluate carcass traits and meat quality. Treatments were different across studies. A meta-analysis was conducted with a random coefficients model in which herd was considered a fixed effect and treatments within year and year were considered as random effects. Either calculated maturity degree or initial BW was used interchangeably as the covariate, and least squares means were used in the multiple-comparison analysis. The CaS and NeS had heavier (P = 0.002) carcasses than the NeC and GiS; GuS were intermediate. The CaS had the longest carcass (P < 0.001) and heaviest spare ribs (P < 0.001), striploin (P < 0.001), and beef plate (P = 0.013). Although the body, carcass, and quarter weights of NeS were similar to those of CaS, NeS had more edible meat in the leg region than did CaS bulls. Selection for PWW increased rib-eye area in Nellore bulls. Selected Caracu had the lowest (most favorable) shear force values compared with the NeS (P = 0.003), NeC (P = 0.005), GuS (P = 0.003), and GiS (P = 0.008). Selection for PWW increased body, carcass, and meat retail weights in the Nellore without altering dressing percentage and body fat percentage.