DESEMPENHO, CARACTERÍSTICAS DE CARCAÇA E DA CARNE DE NOVILHAS DA SEXTA GERAÇÃO DO CRUZAMENTO CHAROLÊS X NELORE ABATIDAS AOS 18 MESES DE IDADE

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the performance, quantitative characteristics of the carcass and qualitative of the meat of sixth generation heifers from the crossing between the Charolais and Nelore races slaughtered at 18 months of age. The treatments tested were the genetic groups 43/64 Nellore 21/64 Charolais (4364NE) and 43/64 Charolais 21/64 Nellore (4364CH). Thirty-six heifers with a mean age of 15 months and initial mean weight of 262 kg of body weight were used. The animals were finished in forage sorghum pasture, receiving supplementation at the level of 1% of body weight. The genetic group of the animals did not influence their performance, with daily weight gains of 0.827 and 0.860 kg for animals 4364NE and 4364CH, respectively. The carcass characteristics were not influenced by the genetic group of the animals, with average carcass weights of 197.46 and 193.19 kg and 56.68 and 55.63% for 4364NE and 4364CH, respectively. It was observed for color, texture, juiciness, softness average values between treatments of 4.41; 4.27; 6.04 and 6.24 points, respectively. Genetic predominance of the sixth generation of the Charolais x Nellore cross did not affect the performance, carcass and beef characteristics of heifers.Key-words: Forage sorghum, yield carcass, weight gain, softness, Sorghum bicolor.