Title | Plasma carotenoid concentrations early in life can be used as a selection criterion for fat colour in heifers |
Publication Type | Conference Paper |
Year of Publication | 1996 |
Authors | AF, Death , TW Knight , RW Purchas , ST Morris , and DL Burnham |
Conference Name | Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production |
Date Published | Jan |
Publisher | New Zealand Society of Animal Production |
Abstract |
Plasma carotenoid (PC) concentrations were measured at 2-5 month intervals in 20 Hereford x Jersey (HJ) and 20 Hereford x Friesian (HF) once bred heifers from 10-35 months-of-age. Half of the heifers were slaughtered at 31 months-of-age and the rest at 35 months-of-age. The colour of the subcutaneous and intermuscular fat was measured using a chromameter and c* values were calculated. Subcutaneous and intermuscular fats in HJ heifers were yellower (i.e. they had higher c* values) than in HF heifers. Regression equations that included breed, date of slaughter and PC concentrations at 10-12 months-of-age, accounted for 56% of the variation in c* values for subcutaneous fat and 40% of the variation in c* values for intermuscular fat (P<0.001). |
URL | http://www.nzsap.org/proceedings/1996/plasma-carotenoid-concentrations-early-life-can-be-used-selection-criterion-fat |