It was slaughtered 24 animals confined, being 8 (4 castrated and 4 entire) from each genetic group (Nelore, ½ Nelore x Sindi cattle and e Mediterrâneos buffaloes), with 430 kg mean weight, in order to compare carcass and slaughter yield. Data obtained were analyzed statistically in a factorial scheme 3 x 2 (3 genetic groups x 2 sexual conditions) with 4 repetitions. Nelore and ½ Nelore x Sindi cattle presented smaller percentage of foot (2.13, 2.08 vs 2,31%), head (3.99, 4.48 vs 5.04%), hide (7.45, 8.21 vs 9.92%) and viscera (25,6; 25,1 vs 28,4%) than buffaloes, but no difference was observed for foot and viscera percentage among castrated and entire animals. Castrated animals presented hide with smaller percentage than entire (8.20 vs 8.85%), similar head percentage, being the tail percentage was higher in castrated animals (0.29 vs 0.26%). Carcasses of Nelore and ½ Nelore x Sindi cattle reached higher yield (58.7 and 58.1 vs 52.3%) than buffaloes, while castrated and entire dressing percentage was similar. Carcass and slaughter yield in relation of slaughter weight were higher on Nelore and ½ Nelore x Sindi cattle than buffaloes: carcass (60.6 and 59.9 vs 54,1%), hindquarter (27.98 and 27.1 vs 25.6%), forequarter (24.8 and 24.9 vs 20.3%) and similar side cut (7.82 and 7.83 vs 8.23%), while entire presented higher forequarter (23.9 vs 22,8%) than castrated. For carcass yield and their cuts in relation of carcass weight, Nelore and Nelore x Sindi cattle attained smaller hindquarter cut percentage than buffaloes (46.7, 45.9 vs 47.8%), while the castrated animals attained higher hindquarter percentage than entire (47.3 vs 46.3%). Nelore and Nelore x Sindi cattle obtained higher forequarter cut percentage (40.7, 41.4 vs 37.4%) than buffaloes, as well as entire animals (40.7 vs 38,9%) in relation to castrated. Nelore and ½ Nelore x Sindi cattle presented smaller side cut percentage (12.9 and 13.1 vs 15.2%) than buffaloes. For carcass cuts chilling loss there was no difference among genetics groups and sexual conditions. It was concluded that differences among cattle and buffaloes are independent of sexual condition and that buffaloes present smaller carcass yield because their higher proportion of foot, head, hide and viscera, though they present higher hindquarter proportion in function of carcass weight.
buffalo; cattle; carcass; castrated; entire
