Which rearing practices to manage the carcass and beef quality throughout the heifers’ life?

Abstract

Most of the published studies were generally focused on the individual effects of fattening factors on carcass or beef qualities. Few experiments have studied the effects of rearing practices (combinations of several rearing factors) applied throughout the heifer’s life on the quality of carcass and meat. Review aims are: i) highlight the rearing practice effects on the quality of carcass and meat and ii) identify rearing factors on which to act to improve carcass and meat qualities. Overall, rearing practices implemented at different life periods (suckling, growing or finishing) had effects on carcass and meat traits. Carcass traits seemed to be more sensitive to changes in rearing practices than those of beef. At different heifer’s life periods, different rearing factors can be used to improve the quality of carcasses (n = 9) and/or meat (n = 3). Actions levers were specific to the quality management of carcass or meat, except the slaughter age which was common to both. Identified action levers did not have antagonistic effects on the quality of these both products. These results show that joint quality management of carcass and meat from rearing practices is possible.