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The aim of this study was to test accuracy of measurements done by Falco 100 (Pie Medical) ultrasonic equipment. 10 Angus, 10 Hungarian Simmental, 10 Limousin and 10 Charolais fattening bulls were measured at the feedlot just before slaughtering. Fat thickness at the rump (P8) and ribeye area (REA) were realized from each animal. After slaughtering, the data of slaughter and carcass weights were collected and carcasses were judged on the base of EUROP system. The database was examined by SPSS 9.0 for Windows. Average liveweight of Angus was 645 ± 41.5 kg, of Hungarian Simmental was 676 ± 41.8 kg, of Limousin was 655 ± 50.8 kg and of Charolais was 694 ± 42.3 kg at the measurement. REA measured with ultrasound was 102.9 ± 8.9 cm 2 , 102.7 ± 10.4 cm 2 , 111.2 ± 9.6 cm 2 and 106.4 ± 9.5 cm 2 , respectively. P8 was 1.05 ± 0.28 cm, 0.62 ± 0.13 cm, 0.62 ± 0.09 and 0.61 ± 0.18 cm, respectively. Correlation between ultrasonic and carcass REA in case of mentioned breeds was 0.74, 0.74, 0.94 and 0.80. Correlation between P8 and EUROP fat score was 0.51, 0.73, 0.56 and 0.28, respectively. Overall correlation between ultrasonic and carcass REA was 0.83 (P≤0.01), and between P8 and EUROP fat score was 0.69 (P≤0.01).Keywords: bulls, ultrasound, accuracy, ribeye area, fat thickness ZusammenfassungBeziehungen zwischen Ultraschallmessdaten der Rückenmuskelfläche und Rücken-fettdicke zu Schlachtergebnissen von Mastbullen (Kurzmitteilung) Das ZieI der Untersuchung war die Prüfung der Genauigkeit des Ultraschallgerätes Falco 100 (Pie Medical). Unmittelbar vor der Schlachtung von je 10 Mastbullen der Rassen Angus, Ungarisches Fleckvieh, Limousin und Charolais erfolgte die Ultraschallmessung der Rückenfettdicke (P8) sowie der Rückenmuskelfläche (REA). Nach der Schlachtung wurden die Schlachtausbeute, das Hälftengewicht, die EUROP Fleischigkeits-und Fettgewebeklasse sowie die am Schlachtkörper dem Ultraschall vergleichbaren Messdaten festgestellt und mit dem Programmpaket SPSS 9.0 für Windows ausgewertet.Zum Zeitpunkt der Messung und Schlachtung betrugen die Lebendgewichte der Bullen: Angus = 645 ± 41,5 kg, Ungarisches Fleckvieh = 676 ± 41,8 kg, Limousin = 655 ± 50,8 kg und Charolais = 694 ± 42,3 kg. ln der genannten Reihenfolge der Rassen wurden folgende Ultraschallmesswerte für die Rückenmuskelfläche 102,9 ± 8,9 cm 2 , 102,7 ± 10,4 cm 2 , 111,2 ± 9,6 cm 2 und 106,4 ± 9,5 cm 2 ermittelt bzw. für die Rückenfettdicke von 1,05 ± 0,28 cm,

This study evaluated the effect of differences in residual feed intake (RFI) of Charolaise candidate young bulls on feeding behavior and self-performance test results. Bulls were classified into high and low RFI (H-RFI, L-RFI) groups. Bulls were fed in a HOKOFARM system to measure individual animal intake and behavior. L-RFI bulls had significantly lower feed intakes (p = 0.002) and higher gain to feed ratio (p = 0.001), lower intake per day/kg DM (dry matter) (p = 0.002) and lower intake g/body weight/day (p < 0.001). L-RFI animals had lower visits number per day (p = 0.02), but spent longer time per visit (p = 0.02), and tended to have higher intake g/visit (p = 0.06) on feeders. The correlation between RFI and DMI (dry matter intake)/bodyweight/day as well as intake per day/kg were large and positive. Back-loin length and rump length, and moreover muzzle width and frame, showed negative correlations with RFI value. However, bulls with better RFI values associated with lower legs score. Results reveal that RFI was shown beneficial correlations with economically relevant self-performance traits. Further investigations are needed to seek additional indicator traits that are predictive for RFI.

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The slaughter value of live cattle can be assessed during visual conformation scoring, as well as by examining different molecular genetic information, e.g., the myostatin gene, which can be responsible for muscle development. In this study, the F94L, Q204X, nt267, nt324 and nt414 alleles of the myostatin gene (MSTN) were examined in relation to birth weight (BIW), calving ease (CAE), 205-day weaning weight (CWW), muscle score of shoulder (MSS), muscle score of back (MSB), muscle score of thigh (MST), roundness score of thigh (RST), loin thickness score (LTS), and overall muscle development percentage (OMP) of Charolais weaned calves in Hungary. Multi-trait analysis of variance (GLM) and weighted linear regression analysis were used to process the data. Calves carrying the Q204X allele in the heterozygous form achieved approximately 0.14 points higher MSB, MST and LTS, and 1.2% higher OMP, and gained 8.56 kg more CWW than their counterparts not carrying the allele (p < 0.05). As for the F94L allele, there was a difference of 4.08 kg in CWW of the heterozygous animals, but this difference could not be proved statistically. The other alleles had no significant effect on the evaluated traits.