Genetic variability of muscle growth and consequences on meat quality of cattle

Abstract

Among beef traits, muscle growth capacity is the main selection objective to increase beef production efficiency for the breeder, the fattener and the butcher. For that purpose, specialized beef breeds can be used for their high growth rate and lean content. Owing to the large within breed genetic variability (high heritability coefficients), muscle growth can also be improved by selection as long as body composition is correctly estimated. Only beef retailer and consumer are interested in improvement of meat quality. Therefore this latter is not included, up to now, in genetic beef improvement programs. Breed comparisons or within breed heritability estimates enlight on a significant genetic variability of meat quality, but clearly lower than for muscle growth. Among the different quality traits, those related with tenderness show the higher genetic variability. Between breeds or within breed estimates of genetic relationships between meat quality and muscle growth are not clear enough to expect any change in tenderness when selecting for high muscle growth.