Estimates of genetic parameters for chemical traits of meat quality in Japanese black cattle.

Genetic parameters for 54 carcass and chemical traits, such as general composition (moisture, crude fat and crude protein), fatty acid composition and water-soluble compounds (free amino acids, peptides, nucleotides and sugars) of 587 commercial Japanese Black cattle were assessed. Heritability estimates for carcass traits and general composition ranged between 0.19-0.