Feedlot Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Western Baggara and Friesian Crossbred Bulls. 2. Slaughtered at 400-kg liveweight.

Abstract

A total of 16 bulls of an average initial live weight of 238.13 kg, and average initial age of 20.8 
months were included in the experiment. They comprised 8 Western Baggara bulls and another 8 
Friesian crossbred bulls (Friesian X local Sudan Zebu) which were purchased from the local 
market. The bulls were kept for a period which ranged from 133 — 156 days. They were 
intensively fed on molasses feed (11.09 MJ/kg, ME) and Sorghum straw (6.69 MJ/kg, ME) 
on libitum base. Animal were slaughtered at a target weight of 400 kg. The crossbred bulls were 
found to be significantly (P<0.05) higher over Western Baggara bulls in the following studied 
parameters : feeding period (133 days), live weight gain (1.28 kg) and feed conversion efficiency 
(6.2 kg DM/kg live weight gain). While Western Baggara bulls were found to be significantly 
(P<0.001) greater than the Friesian crossbred bulls in the following studied parameters : head 
weight, hide weight, omental fat and kidney fat weight .