4. Discussion
Differences in CCW among groups are expected because of differences
in body weight at slaughter, as depicted in Table 1. Our results
were greater than values reported by Vaz et al. (2002), who evaluated
3/4 Charolais × 1/4 Nellore and 3/4 Nellore × 1/4 Charolais bulls with
similar age.
B. taurus animals have a greater growth rate and, consequently, tend
to have greater rib-eye-area than B. indicus animals (Lopes et al., 2012).
Three-Cross and “Guzholstein” bulls have 50% of B. taurus genetics on
their breed composition, which come from Simmental and Holstein
breeds, respectively. On the other hand, “Guzonell” animals have in
their composition 100% of B. indicus genetics. The Simmental breed
may have contributed to greater heterosis in Three-Cross bulls and
hence favored for some carcass traits, such as greater rib-eye-area, compared
with other groups. “Guzholstein” bulls, because they contain a
breed selected for milk production in their composition (Holstein),
have lesser potential for muscularity. Fernandes et al. (2005) reported
that F1 Holstein ×B. indicus animals had a greater composition of internal
organs and visceral fat on shrunk body weight gain compared with
B. indicus animals. Greater rib-eye-areas of B. taurus crosses were also
reported by Lopes et al. (2008), who performed a meta-analysis of 36