Comparison of slaughter value for once-calved heifers and heifers of Polish Holstein-Friesian × Limousine crossbreds

• “Once-calved heifer” supplies valuable carcass and meat.
• Once-calved heifer delivers additional offspring without reducing the meat quality.
• Once-calved heifer system uses redundant heifers in a herd.

The study compared the slaughter value and meat quality of heifers and once-calved heifers slaughtered at the age of 18 and 28 months, respectively. The once-calved heifers at the age of 15 months, were bred with semen of Limousine bulls and following the calving they fed their offspring and then they were slaughtered. There were no differences in the carcass conformation and fatness between the treatments. Once-calved heifers' carcasses had a higher proportion (P < 0.05) of 5 most valuable primal cuts as compared with heifers. Meat of once-calved heifers contained more (P < 0.05) intramuscular fat, was darker (P < 0.01), and exhibited a higher water-holding capacity and lower cooking loss (P < 0.05) as compared with heifers' meat. In conclusion, due to the possibility for obtaining additional offspring and a heavier pre-slaughter weight without reducing the slaughter value of the carcass and meat quality, it is recommended to use heifers originating from commercial crossbreeding as the once-calved ones.