An alternative to the intensive feeding of Holstein‑Friesian calves to produce veal carcasses is rearing older animals to produce high quality carcasses, characterized by a high degree of fatness.
In this work, a combined indoor‑grass‑based rearing system of Holstein‑Friesian castrated males has been used, with grazing outdoors and grass silage and fodder consumption indoors. Animals were divided into four groups by slaughtering age (1.5; 2.5; 3.5 and 5 years‑old) to determine the age effect on growth parameters and carcass characteristics.
Average daily gain from birth to slaughter significantly decreased as slaughtering age increased, ranging from 0.82 kg/d in 1.5 years‑old group to 0.58 kg/d in 5 years‑old group. Finishing diet significantly increased the average daily gain in all groups. Changing animals from indoors to pasture produced a temporal reduction in the animals weight gain.
Carcass grading improved with slaughtering age, but no high fattening or conformation levels were reached in any case. Carcass measurements and compact index significantly increased with age.
With respect to carcass quartering, the forequarter proportion increased with age, the hindquarter pistola cut proportion decreased, and no differences were found in loin proportion. First and second category cuts proportion decreased with age, third category cuts increased and no differences were found in extra category cuts.

Crecente S, Calvo C, López M, Díaz N, Díaz D, Moreno T (2019). Parámetros de crecimiento y características de la canal de machos castrados de raza Holstein‑Friesian sacrificados a distintas edades. ITEA‑Información Técnica Económica Agraria 115(4): 360‑375. https://doi.org/10.12706/itea.2019.009