Breed and sire effects on fatty acid composition of beef fat

Abstract

The fat content of muscle and the fatty acid profile and melting point of subcutaneous fat was examined in the progeny of three years of crossbreeding Angus, Belgian Blue, Hereford, Jersey, Limousin, South Devon and Wagyu sires with Hereford cows. Significant cohort and sire breed effects were recorded for most traits. Heritability was moderate in most cases. As expected, significant breed differences were noted in the fat content of muscle, but also apparent was the difference in the degree of unsaturation in Jersey and Wagyu progeny. Angus, Hereford, Belgian Blue, South Devon and Limousin animals varied in some fatty acid measures. Jersey and Wagyu had fat with lower melting point (a function of fatty acid composition) and South Devon and Limousin had higher melting point than the remaining breeds.