Table 2.
Carcass characteristics of beef × dairy animals across the literature. In some instances, purebred dairy and beef animal data is included for comparison. Means separations and p-values are not reported here, as any significant differences are discussed in the text of the review.
| Feeding system | Reference | Sire breed | Dam breed | Sex | Slaughter criteria | Carcass weight, kg | Dressing % | Ribeye area, cm2 | Backfat, mm | Marbling score | Shear force, kg force |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forage finished | Fahmy and Lalande (1975) | Charolais | Holstein | Steer | 454 kg | — | 55.6 | 67.0 | 3.7 | — | — |
| Hereford | Holstein | — | 55.0 | 63.0 | 5.4 | — | — | ||||
| Charolais | Holstein | 544 kg | — | 56.1 | 69.1 | 5.0 | — | — | |||
| Hereford | Holstein | — | 56.9 | 66.6 | 7.6 | — | — | ||||
| Charolais | Holstein | 635 kg | — | 57.0 | 80.5 | 4.4 | — | — | |||
| Hereford | Holstein | — | 56.5 | 66.5 | 12.6 | — | — | ||||
| Kempster et al. (1982) | Angus | British Friesian | Steer | 16 mo. old | 179 | 48.5 | 52.0 | — | — | — | |
| Charolais | British Friesian | 261 | 51.5 | 69.0 | — | — | — | ||||
| Devon | British Friesian | 186 | 48.5 | 52.0 | — | — | — | ||||
| Hereford | British Friesian | 195 | 49.1 | 51.0 | — | — | — | ||||
| Simmental | British Friesian | 244 | 50.4 | 65.0 | — | — | — | ||||
| South Devon | British Friesian | 227 | 50.1 | 59.0 | — | — | — | ||||
| Sussex | British Friesian | 201 | 49.7 | 58.0 | — | — | — | ||||
| British Friesian | British Friesian | 216 | 49.6 | 56.0 | — | — | — | ||||
| Angus | British Friesian | 24 mo. old | 221 | 48.7 | 44.0 | — | — | — | |||
| Charolais | British Friesian | 317 | 51.6 | 64.0 | — | — | — | ||||
| Devon | British Friesian | 242 | 49.0 | 49.0 | — | — | — | ||||
| Hereford | British Friesian | 245 | 50.1 | 49.0 | — | — | — | ||||
| Simmental | British Friesian | 286 | 50.4 | 58.0 | — | — | — | ||||
| South Devon | British Friesian | 279 | 50.7 | 56.0 | — | — | — | ||||
| British Friesian | British Friesian | 266 | 49.2 | 53.0 | — | — | — | ||||
| Kempster et al. (1988) | Charolais | British Friesian | Steer | 16 mo. old | 277 | 53.2 | 69.8 | — | — | — | |
| Hereford | British Friesian | 203 | 50.9 | 54.7 | — | — | — | ||||
| Limousin | British Friesian | 247 | 53.7 | 66.9 | — | — | — | ||||
| Lincoln Red | British Friesian | 213 | 50.4 | 57.6 | — | — | — | ||||
| Simmental | British Friesian | 257 | 52.2 | 66.9 | — | — | — | ||||
| South Devon | British Friesian | 231 | 52.3 | 60.4 | — | — | — | ||||
| Sussex | British Friesian | 210 | 51.1 | 60.2 | — | — | — | ||||
| British Friesian | British Friesian | 240 | 51.3 | 60.1 | — | — | — | ||||
| Canadian Holstein | Canadian Holstein | 265 | 50.5 | 58.4 | — | — | — | ||||
| Charolais | British Friesian | 24 mo. old | 332 | 53.0 | 71.7 | — | — | — | |||
| Hereford | British Friesian | 261 | 50.6 | 59.7 | — | — | — | ||||
| Limousin | British Friesian | 312 | 53.0 | 73.6 | — | — | — | ||||
| Lincoln Red | British Friesian | 259 | 50.3 | 61.4 | — | — | — | ||||
| Simmental | British Friesian | 299 | 51.2 | 69.1 | — | — | — | ||||
| South Devon | British Friesian | 287 | 51.2 | 68.2 | — | — | — | ||||
| Sussex | British Friesian | 279 | 51.5 | 68.0 | — | — | — | ||||
| British Friesian | British Friesian | 282 | 50.3 | 62.2 | — | — | — | ||||
| Canadian Holstein | Canadian Holstein | 311 | 50.1 | 60.7 | — | — | — | ||||
| Davies et al., 1999 1 | Charolais | Holstein-Friesian | Steer | 4L fatness | 264 | 56.9 | — | 3.21 | — | — | |
| Piedmontese | Holstein-Friesian | 274 | 58.3 | — | 2.71 | — | — | ||||
| Charolais | Holstein-Friesian | Heifer | 440 kg | 243 | 55.8 | — | 2.91 | — | — | ||
| Piedmontese | Holstein-Friesian | 259 | 57.8 | — | 2.71 | — | — | ||||
| Muir et al. (2000) | Hereford | Friesian | Steer | 7mm at 12th rib by ultrasound | 329 | 54.3 | — | 7.9 | — | 6.63 | |
| Friesian | Friesian | 367 | 51.3 | — | 7.9 | — | 7.34 | ||||
| Hereford | Hereford | 318 | 53.3 | — | 9.2 | — | 5.89 | ||||
| Huuskonen et al. (2013a) 1 | Angus | Holstein | Heifer | 221 | — | — | 3.31 | — | — | ||
| Blonde d’Aquitanie | Holstein | 238 | — | — | 2.51 | — | — | ||||
| Charolais | Holstein | 246 | — | — | 3.01 | — | — | ||||
| Hereford | Holstein | 231 | — | — | 3.71 | — | — | ||||
| Limousin | Holstein | 237 | — | — | 3.01 | — | — | ||||
| Simmental | Holstein | 235 | — | — | 3.11 | — | — | ||||
| Holstein | Holstein | 208 | — | — | 2.71 | — | — | ||||
| Angus | Norwegian Red | 226 | — | — | 3.61 | — | — | ||||
| Blonde d’Aquitanie | Norwegian Red | 234 | — | — | 2.51 | — | — | ||||
| Charolais | Norwegian Red | 242 | — | — | 2.9 | — | — | ||||
| Hereford | Norwegian Red | 232 | — | — | 3.8 | — | — | ||||
| Limousin | Norwegian Red | 233 | — | — | 2.9 | — | — | ||||
| Simmental | Norwegian Red | 237 | — | — | 3.1 | — | — | ||||
| Norwegian Red | Norwegian Red | 292 | — | — | 2.7 | — | — | ||||
| Huuskonen et al., 2013b 1 | Angus | Holstein | Bull | 357 | — | — | 3.01 | — | — | ||
| Blonde d’Aquitanie | Holstein | 379 | — | — | 2.11 | — | — | ||||
| Charolais | Holstein | 387 | — | — | 2.51 | — | — | ||||
| Hereford | Holstein | 366 | — | — | 3.21 | — | — | ||||
| Limousin | Holstein | 372 | — | — | 2.51 | — | — | ||||
| Simmental | Holstein | 383 | — | — | 2.71 | — | — | ||||
| Holstein | Holstein | 333 | — | — | 2.41 | — | — | ||||
| Concentrate finished | Urick et al. (1974) | Angus | Brown Swiss | Steer | 465 kg | 274 | — | 76.6 | 14.1 | 14.9 | 7.28 |
| Charolais | Brown Swiss | 278 | — | 79.3 | 9.9 | 17.1 | 7.45 | ||||
| Hereford | Brown Swiss | 272 | — | 75.0 | 14.3 | 16.7 | 8.07 | ||||
| Bech Andersen et al. (1977) | Blonde d’Aquitaine | Danish Red or Black Pied Danish | Bull | 300 kg, 12 mo. old, or 15 mo. old | 263 | 56.2 | 41.6 | — | — | — | |
| Charolais | Danish Red or Black Pied Danish | 255 | 54.8 | 37.2 | — | — | — | ||||
| Chianina | Danish Red or Black Pied Danish | 249 | 54.9 | 37.1 | — | — | — | ||||
| Danish Red and White | Danish Red or Black Pied Danish | 248 | 54.1 | 34.2 | — | — | — | ||||
| Hereford | Danish Red or Black Pied Danish | 236 | 54.0 | 32.6 | — | — | — | ||||
| Limousin | Danish Red or Black Pied Danish | 249 | 56.0 | 40.1 | — | — | — | ||||
| Romagnola | Danish Red or Black Pied Danish | 457 | 54.4 | 66.7 | — | — | — | ||||
| Forrest (1977) | Charolais | Holstein | Steer | 500 kg | 277 | 58.8 | 78.8 | 9.4 | — | — | |
| Charolais | Holstein | Heifer | 269 | 57.2 | 76.9 | 12.4 | — | — | |||
| Holstein | Holstein | Steer | 268 | 56.7 | 69.2 | 11.6 | — | — | |||
| Forrest (1980) | Simmental | Holstein | Steer | 500 kg | 272 | 57.5 | 74.7 | 9.6 | — | — | |
| Simmental | Holstein | Heifer | 272 | 57.3 | 74.5 | 14.0 | — | — | |||
| Holstein | Holstein | Steer | 267 | 56.3 | 67.2 | 9.4 | — | — | |||
| Forrest (1981) | Limousin | Holstein | Steer | 500 kg | 283 | 58.6 | 76.5 | 12.9 | — | — | |
| Limousin | Holstein | Heifer | 280 | 59.4 | 77.9 | 17.0 | — | — | |||
| Holstein | Holstein | Steer | 262 | 55.7 | 60.2 | 10.2 | — | — | |||
| Baker et al. (1984) 2 | Angus2 | Holstein2 | Bull | 12, 15, 18, or 24 mo. old | 309 | 58.9 | 83.7 | 3.8 | 7.6 | — | |
| Brahman2 | Holstein2 | 325 | 59.1 | 84.2 | 3.6 | 6.6 | — | ||||
| Hereford2 | Holstein2 | 308 | 55.6 | 81.7 | 4.3 | 7.3 | — | ||||
| Angus2 | Jersey2 | 259 | 57.8 | 73.5 | 4.1 | 8.3 | — | ||||
| Brahman2 | Jersey2 | 308 | 67.5 | 77.6 | 4.2 | 7.7 | — | ||||
| Hereford2 | Jersey2 | 249 | 55.1 | 75.2 | 4 | 8.9 | — | ||||
| Holstein | Holstein | 309 | 54.0 | 78.3 | 3.4 | 5.3 | — | ||||
| Jersey | Jersey | 209 | 55.6 | 61 | 3.5 | 5.7 | — | ||||
| Jaborek et al. (2019a) | Angus | Jersey | Steer | 523 kg | 334 | 64.2 | 73.6 | 13.7 | 745 | 2.76 | |
| Red Wagyu | Jersey | 317 | 63.2 | 76.4 | 9.7 | 687 | 2.39 | ||||
| SimAngus | Jersey | 332 | 63.9 | 73.6 | 10.4 | 651 | 2.48 | ||||
| Jersey | Jersey | 304 | 61.2 | 70.3 | 8.6 | 586 | 2.71 | ||||
| Jaborek et al. (2019b) | Angus | Jersey | Steers and Heifers | 523 kg (steer) and 500 kg (heifer) | 327 | 64.1 | 76.4 | 14.7 | 800 | 2.69 | |
| Red Wagyu | Jersey | 306 | 63.1 | 74.1 | 11.1 | 690 | 2.44 | ||||
| SimAngus | Jersey | 324 | 63.3 | 75.2 | 11.7 | 677 | 2.45 | ||||
| Rezagholivand et al. (2021) | Angus | Holstein | Steers and Heifers | 11 months on feed | 280 | 51 | 110.1 | 6.4 | — | — | |
| Charolais | Holstein | 307 | 56 | 118.5 | 4.3 | — | — | ||||
| INRA 95 | Holstein | 303 | 55.3 | 118.7 | 5.2 | — | — | ||||
| Limousin | Holstein | 298 | 55.4 | 104.2 | 5.6 | — | — | ||||
| Holstein | Holstein | 274 | 49.9 | 99.9 | 5.4 | — | — |
EUROP fat score is reported to quantify fat cover rather than backfat thickness.
Crossbred progeny could have either breed as sire or dam as they resulted from a diallel experiment. For example, F1 Angus-Holstein bulls could have an Angus dam and a Holstein sire or a Holstein dam and an Angus sire.