Carcass characterisation of seven Spanish beef breeds slaughtered at two commercial weights.

A total of 159 bulls representing seven Spanish beef breeds were fed with concentrates, managed in the same conditions and slaughtered at two commercial weights (veal and young-bull). Carcasses were measured and classified in order to characterise the carcass variation in the Spanish beef market and to assess the relationship among carcass measurements and grading. Principal Component Analysis clearly separated commercial types regardless the inclusion of the carcass weight in the input data. Within commercial weights the studied breeds clustered into three groups according to muscular development and carcass classification score: high meat producer breeds (Asturiana de los Valles and Rubia Gallega); medium meat producers (Parda Alpina and Pirenaica); and low meat producers (Avileña, Retinta and Morucha). The perimeter and width of the leg (muscular development) besides the length and width of the carcass basically defined these three carcass types. Conformation was an important trait in explaining variation between breeds because its values were positively correlated with muscular development and carcass compactness.