Relationship between carcass traits, prime cuts and carcass grading from foals slaughtered at the age of 13 and 26 months and supplemented with standard and linseed-rich feed.

This research investigates how the age of slaughter and type of feed can impact the carcass traits and quality grades of foals, finding that older slaughter ages and the implementation of grading systems can potentially enhance carcass quality.

Objectives and Methodology of the Research

• The main goal of this research was to understand the correlation between carcass traits, prime cuts, and carcass grading in foals based on two variables: the age of slaughter (either 13 or 26 months) and the type of finishing feed (either standard or linseed-rich).
• In order to carry out the study, 46 crossbred genotype foals (a combination of Galician Mountain and Burguete breeds) were used.

Outcomes and Interpretations

• The type of finishing feed didn’t show significant changes in any of the parameters studied, indicating that the content of the feed doesn’t considerably influence carcass traits and grading in foals.
• On the other hand, the age of slaughter had significant impacts on all parameters. The older foals (26 months old at the time of slaughter) had higher carcass measurements, more meat, bone, and fat, as well as bigger forequarters and hindquarters. Yet, the meat to bone ratio remained consistent across both age groups.
• Most of the 26-month-old foals fell in the upper grading categories (‘E’ for Extra class conformation and ‘5’ for complete fat cover), suggesting a positive correlation between older slaughter ages and higher quality grades.
• An interesting finding was that the majority of carcasses, regardless of age or diet, were classified as having yellowish-white subcutaneous fat. This could be due to inherent factors such as genetic breed characteristics or general rearing conditions that were not examined in this study.

Suggestions and Future Research

• The findings of this study imply a recommendation for producers to consider older slaughter ages than 13 months to potentially improve foal carcass quality.
• Further, the authors suggest the implementation of grading systems that predict carcass quality in the foal meat industry.
• The research points out the need for future studies to find the optimal slaughter age in order to obtain carcasses with the best degree of fatness and conformation.
• The meat-to-bone ratio remained a constant across different slaughter ages; thus, the authors recommend further studies to improve this ratio in foal carcasses, potentially increasing their aptitude for meat production.