The objective of this work was to evaluate comparatively the carcass traits and body composition of young Nellore breed intact male, sons of bulls with differentials positive (Selection Lineage) or null (Control Lineage) at weight gain at 378 days of age. Data from 92 Nellore cattle, with 456.00 kg of slaughter weight, being 51 animals of Selection Lineage and 41 animals of Control Lineage. They were raised in cultivated pastures until 18 months of age, when were designated in two finishing systems, to arrange homogeneous groups to weight and filiation. The animals were fed, in individual pens, with ration for gains of 1.0 kg/day. Before slaughter, the animals were fasted and weighed, when the slaughter weight was obtained. After carcass storage in cold chamber, the section of 9th-10th-11th ribs was obtained. There were no significant effects of lineage were for neither traits studied, except for the bone percentage, and the animals of Selection Lineage were superior than the animals of Control Lineage. The finishing system showed significant effects for all traits studied, except for the body composition. There were no significant effects of interaction between lineage and finishing system. The classes of age showed significant effects for the traits slaughter weight, hot carcass weight, kidney fat weight, muscle, fat and bone percentage.
beef cattle; meat production; meat quality; selection; zebu cattle
