Slaughter weights HEAVY (1) MEDIUM (2) LIGTH (3) Initial body weigth, kg 338a 314ab 305b Final body weigth, kg 402a 360b 328c Average daily gain, kg [d.sup.-1] 0.63a 0.45b 0.22c Hot carcass weigth, kg 204a 189b 170c
Carcass dressing, % 50.6 52.7 52.0 Muscle, % 62.1 61.9 61.6 Fat, % 14.7 15.8 15.4 Bone, % 17.8 17.2 16.4 Others, % 5.34 5.08 6.59 SEM p < Values Initial body weigth, kg 5.92 0.05 Final body weigth, kg 9.53 0.01 Average daily gain, kg [d.sup.-1] 0.05 0.01 Hot carcass weigth, kg 4.84 0.01
Carcass dressing, % 0.49 0.22 Muscle, % 0.59 0.94 Fat, % 0.58 0.78 Bone, % 0.75 0.76 Others, % 0.68 0.66 (1) Slaughter weight = 400 kg, (2) slaughter weight = 360 kg, (3) slaughter weight = 330 kg, SEM = standard error of mean.
However, (Costa et al., 2002; Gesualdi Junior et al., 2000), when evaluating the concentrate level effects on the
carcass dressing, observed a linear increase, but when the
carcass dressing was expressed in relation to the empty body weight, no difference among the concentrate levels was found.