Man-Sask 

londe d'Aquitaine  

Association

 

     

Douglas Manitoba 2005-2006 Bull Test and Heifer Development Program
Breed Averages from Ultrasound Evaluations on 27 February 2006
Bulls
Breed Number Marbling Backfat Weight-Adjusted Lean Meat
  of Bulls Score mm Ribeye Area Yield
        in²/100 lb %
Angus 97 5.09 8.26 1.03 60.42
Blonde d'Aquitaine 15 3.26 3.68 1.14 65.92
Charolais 41 3.83 5.32 1.09 64.96
Gelbvieh 12 4.08 5.03 1.09 64.41
Hereford 10 3.59 7.15 0.99 61.08
Limousin 15 3.36 4.26 1.21 66.22
Maine Anjou 11 3.85 4.64 1.08 64.58
Salers 7 4.09 5.34 1.05 64.03
Shorthorn 9 4.66 5.55 1.03 62.86
Simmental 18 3.76 5.40 1.02 63.77
Santa Gertrudis 2 4.25 6.50 1.16 60.55
All Breeds 237 3.98 5.56 1.08 63.53
Heifers
Breed Number Marbling Backfat Weight-Adjusted Lean Meat
  of Heifers Score mm Ribeye Area Yield
        in²/100 lb %
Angus 1 6.25 8.07 1.01 59.05
Blonde d'Aquitaine 5 3.67 5.12 1.17 62.30
All Breeds 6 4.96 6.60 1.09 60.68
Note:   These ultrasound evaluations were conducted on 27 February 2006 by Rod Wendorff,  
UGC Certified Technician, on 237 high-indexing bulls and six selected heifers on test during  
the winter of 2005-2006 at the Bull Performance and Heifer Development Station at Douglas,  
Manitoba.              
Compiled by Garland Laliberte, President, Man-Sask Blonde d'Aquitaine Association  

 

Comments by the President

For a number of years now, Blonde bulls and heifers have had no equal in the ultrasound carcass evaluations conducted at the Douglas Test Station in Manitoba.   The Blondes have extended their record of being at the top of the class in the 2005-2006 ultrasound evaluations conducted on 237 bulls representing ten breeds and six heifers representing two breeds. 

For the bulls, the average lean meat yield was 65.92 %, placing them higher than eight other breeds whose lean meat yields ranged from 60.42 % up to 64.96%.  Their weight-adjusted ribeye area was 1.14 square inches per 100 pounds of live weight, again placing them significantly ahead of eight other breeds.

Five Blonde heifers were ultrasound-evaluated.  Although there were not sufficient numbers of heifers tested by the other breeds to permit across-breed comparisons of ultrasound results, the average values of 62.30% and 1.17 square inches per 100 pounds of live weight achieved by the Blondes for lean meat yield and weight-adjusted ribeye area, respectively, are laudable.

These ultrasound evaluations confirm that Blondes have enough backfat cover for efficient carcass processing, minimizing trim waste, and enough marbling to produce lean and tender beef, while topping the field for quantity of meat produced.

On an individual basis, a Blonde bull consigned by MBRHEO Blondes, had the highest individual lean meat yield, at 69.63%, out of all of the 237 bulls evaluated.  In the weight-adjusted ribeye area category, two Blonde bulls, one consigned by Sundance Valley Ranch and the other by Blue Diamond Blondes recorded values of 1.24 square inches per 100 pounds of live weight, placing them at the 97th percentile of the 237 bulls evaluated.

If you are in the cattle business to produce beef, Blondes are an excellent choice!

 Garland Laliberte, President

Man-Sask Blonde d’Aquitaine Association

 

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