Fat deposition in Hereford and Friesian steers: 1. Body composition and partitioning of fat between depots

Abstract

SUMMARYIn this paper, the first of a series of three in which fat deposition is examined in 42 castrate male Hereford and Friesian cattle, details are given on the experimental material and procedures used in all papers. Whole body composition (anatomical and chemical) and the partitioning of fat within the body are also reported in this paper.Four, two and 15 animals were slaughtered at 6, 13 and 20 months of age, respectively, afterad libitumfeeding of a complete pelleted diet.The Friesians were heavier than the Herefords, having 10%, 20% and 14% heavier empty bodies at 6, 13 and 20 months, respectively.At the same age, the Friesians had a greater percentage of empty-body weight as carcass muscle, carcass bone, total body water and total body ash than the Herefords but a lower percentage as dissectible fat and total body lipid. An analysis of linear body measurements showed no difference between breeds in the stage of development of external body dimensions at 20 months of age, and it was concluded that at the same age and stage of development of live weight or size, the Friesians were leaner than the Herefords.Relative growth coefficients of the fat depots showed late developmental growth in some intra-abdominal depots (omental and perirenal–retroperitoneal) but not in another (mesenteric). Relative growth coefficients of the omental, mesenterie and intermuscular depots were different between breeds. The Herefords deposited more dissectible fat subcutaneously than the Friesians whereas the Friesians deposited more in the intraabdominal depots. A multivariate index of fat partitioning, which was not influenced by age or stage of development of the fat depots, was not significantly correlated with fatness, suggesting no direct link between the pattern of fat partitioning and body-fat content.Breed differences in the distribution of fat within the subcutaneous and intermuscular depots were minor compared with the large difference in the partitioning of fat between depots. It was thus concluded that the factors controlling fat partitioning do not influence the distribution of fat within depots.