Selection for increased muscling improved feed efficiency and carcass characteristics of Angus steers

2014 ◽  
Vol 54 (9) ◽  
pp. 1412 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. M. Cafe ◽  
W. A. McKiernan ◽  
D. L. Robinson

This project studied the effect of selection for divergence in live muscle score (MS) in a herd of Angus cattle on feedlot performance, feed efficiency, carcass characteristics and carcass yield of two cohorts of steer progeny. Steers from lines selected for low muscling (Low, n = 91, average MS = D–) and high muscling without (High, n = 76, average MS = C+) and with (HighHet, n = 61, average MS = B) one copy of the 821 del11 myostatin mutation were studied. Steers entered the feedlot for grain finishing at 16–18 months of age. Individual feed intake was measured during finishing, after which the steers were slaughtered to obtain commercial carcass and yield data. Low, High and HighHet steers had similar weights at feedlot entry (442, 434, 441 kg, P = 0.11) and grew at similar rates during feed intake testing (1.42, 1.38, 1.37 kg/day, P = 0.3), but net feed intake declined with increasing muscling (0.34, –0.06, –0.40 kg DM/day, P < 0.001). Dressing percentage (54.2%, 54.9%, 56.5%, P < 0.001), retail meat yield (67.5%, 68.4%, 71.4%, P < 0.001) and retail meat : bone ratio (3.40, 3.55, 3.83, P < 0.001) progressively increased from Low to High to HighHet steers. There were no significant differences for carcass rump and rib fat, or carcass fat yield between Low and High steers, but Low steers had higher marbling (P < 0.001). HighHet steers had the least fat across all carcass fat measurements, including marbling (all P < 0.008). These results demonstrate that muscling was increased by selection for visual MS in British-breed cattle and resulted in greater meat yield via greater muscle to bone ratios.

2018 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 80 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. L. Hebart ◽  
J. M. Accioly ◽  
K. J. Copping ◽  
M. P. B. Deland ◽  
R. M. Herd ◽  
...  

Cow bodyweight gain, calf weaning weight, feed intake and maternal productivity of 500 Angus cows, in 64 replicate groups, were measured over three parities at two locations (Struan and Vasse) as part of the Beef CRC Maternal Productivity Project. The cows were sourced as heifers from the top and bottom 10% of BREEDPLAN Rib Fat EBV (High-Fat and Low-Fat), and from High and Low residual feed intake (RFI) selection lines (High-RFI and Low-RFI). Each of the four genotypes were run under High- and Low-Nutrition (measured as feed on offer) at both sites. The High-Fat cows were 7% more efficient at producing weaner calves under Low-Nutrition than were the Low-Fat cows. This was driven primarily by the 4% difference between the lines in weaning rate. When weaning rate differences were accounted for (as covariate), there was no difference between the Fat lines in the efficiency of weaner weight production. When the weight gain of the cow was included as an output in addition to calf weaning weight, there was also no difference between the Fat lines in efficiency. Low-RFI cows were always more efficient at producing weaner calves than were the High-RFI cows. This was primarily driven through a 7% reduction in annual feed intake (across both nutrition treatments). However, the Low-RFI cows were leaner, had 6.3% lower weaning rate and calved on average 5.4 days later than did the High-RFI cows. Furthermore, the largest differences in feed intake were in spring when feed availability is greatest. In the context of the results herein, a balanced breeding program should include selection for improved reproduction and low RFI.


2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 504-512 ◽  
Author(s):  
M L Jolly-Breithaupt ◽  
M E Harris ◽  
B L Nuttelman ◽  
D B Burken ◽  
J C MacDonald ◽  
...  

Abstract Two experiments evaluated the effects of feeding a new corn hybrid, containing an α-amylase enzyme trait, Syngenta Enogen Feed Corn (SYT-EFC), on feedlot performance and carcass characteristics at two locations. Experiment 1 utilized 300 calffed steers (298.5 ± 16.3 kg of BW) at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Eastern Nebraska Research and Extension Center Mead, NE. Treatments were designed as a 2 × 2 + 1–factorial arrangement with factors consisting of 1) corn type (SYT-EFC or conventional [CON]) and 2) byproduct type (with or without Sweet Bran [SB]), or a BLEND of STY-EFC and CON without SB. In Exp. 2, 240 crossbred, calf-fed steers (287.6 ± 15.4 kg of BW) were utilized at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Panhandle Research and Extension Center near Scottsbluff, NE. Steers were fed SYT-EFC, CON, BLEND, or CON with a commercial α-amylase enzyme supplement (CON-E). In Exp. 1, there was an interaction for ADG (P = 0.05) and G:F (P = 0.02). Steers fed SYT-EFC with SB had greater ADG and G:F than CON; however, in diets without SB, SYT-EFC and CON were not different resulting in a 10.1% change in G:F when steers were fed SYT-EFC in SB compared with CON and only 1.6% change between SYT-EFC and CON without SB. Energy values, based on performance data, resulted in a 6.5% and 8.3% change in NEm and NEg, respectively, for steers fed SYT-EFC and CON with SB and 1.6% change for both NEm and NEg for steers fed SYT-EFC and CON without SB. For the main effect of corn trait, steers fed SYT-EFC had greater marbling scores, fat depth, and calculated yield grade compared with CON (P ≤ 0.03). In diets without SB, there was no difference between SYT-EFC, CON, or BLEND for DMI, final BW, ADG, G:F, NEm, or NEg (P ≥ 0.35). In Exp. 2, cattle fed SYT-EFC, BLEND, or CON-E had greater final BW, ADG, and G:F than cattle fed CON (P ≤ 0.03). On average, NEm and NEg were 4.9% and 7.0% greater, respectively, for steers fed amylase enzyme treatments compared with CON (P ≤ 0.01). Hot carcass weights were greater in steers fed α-amylase treatments compared with CON (P &lt; 0.01). Feeding Syngenta Enogen Feed Corn, which contains an α-amylase enzyme trait, at both locations improved feed efficiency in finishing cattle diets containing WDGS or SB.


2021 ◽  
Vol 99 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 298-299
Author(s):  
Bailey L Basiel ◽  
Chad D Dechow ◽  
Tara L Felix

Abstract Objectives were to compare feedlot performance and carcass traits of F1 beef × Holstein steers and Holstein steers. Angus or Limousin × Holstein crossbred [n = 27; age = 12 ± 3 months; body weight (BW) = 435 ± 8 kg] and Holstein (n = 20; age = 11 ± 2 months; BW = 400 ± 9 kg) steers were fed at the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Livestock Evaluation Center for 111 days. Feed intake was recorded using the GrowSafe Feed Intake Monitoring System (Model 4000E, GrowSafe Systems Ltd., Calgary AB, Canada). The diet contained corn silage, dried distillers grains, soybean meal, and cracked corn and was formulated to meet or exceed the requirements of beef cattle (NASEM, 2016). Growth performance variables of interest and carcass measurements were analyzed with the Mixed procedure of SAS (SAS 9.4; SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC). USDA assigned quality grades (QG) and yield grades (YG) were analyzed the with GLIMMIX procedure of SAS. Breed was a fixed effect in all models. There were no differences (P &gt; 0.05) between breeds in average daily gain or feed efficiency. Crossbreds exceeded Holsteins in initial (P &lt; 0.01) and final BW (P = 0.01), dry matter intake (P = 0.03), hot carcass weight (P &lt; 0.01), backfat (P = 0.03), and ribeye area (REA; P &lt; 0.01). Thirty-five percent (35%) of the Holsteins received a QG of Choice or above while 74% of crossbreds graded USDA Choice or above (P = 0.01). However, 75% of Holsteins were YG 2 or lower while only 45% of crossbreds achieved YG 2 or less (P = 0.05). There was no improvement in efficiency when crossbreds were compared to Holsteins; however, carcasses from crossbreds were more likely to grade USDA Choice or above while yielding greater REA and backfat than Holsteins.


2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (Supplement_4) ◽  
pp. 347-347
Author(s):  
Pourya Davoudi ◽  
Duy Ngoc Do ◽  
Guoyu Hu ◽  
Siavash Salek Ardestani ◽  
Younes Miar

Abstract Feed cost is the major input cost in the mink industry and thus improvement of feed efficiency through selection for high feed efficient mink is necessary for the mink farmers. The objective of this study was to estimate the heritability, phenotypic and genetic correlations for different feed efficiency measures, including final body weight (FBW), daily feed intake (DFI), average daily gain (ADG), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and residual feed intake (RFI). For this purpose, 1,088 American mink from the Canadian Center for Fur Animal Research at Dalhousie Faculty of Agriculture were recorded for daily feed intake and body weight from August 1 to November 14 in 2018 and 2019. The univariate models were used to test the significance of sex, birth year and color as fixed effects, and dam as a random effect. Genetic parameters were estimated via bivariate models using ASReml-R version 4. Estimates of heritabilities (±SE) were 0.41±0.10, 0.37±0.11, 0.33±0.14, 0.24±0.09 and 0.22±0.09 for FBW, DFI, ADG, FCR and RFI, respectively. The genetic correlation (±SE) was moderate to high between FCR and RFI (0.68±0.15) and between FCR and ADG (-0.86±0.06). In addition, RFI had low non-significant (P &gt; 0.05) genetic correlations with ADG (0.04 ± 0.26) and BW (0.16 ± 0.24) but significant (P &lt; 0.05) high genetic correlation with DFI (0.74 ± 0.11) indicating that selection for lower RFI will reduce feed intake without adverse effects on the animal size and growth rate. The results suggested that RFI can be implemented in genetic/genomic selection programs to reduce feed intake in the mink production system.


Author(s):  
Leonardo R. Müller ◽  
Daniel I C. G. Gouvêa ◽  
André F. Francischinelli ◽  
Guiherme D. A. Alvarenga ◽  
Pablo C Castagnino ◽  
...  

Abstract This experiment evaluated the effects of feeding whole cottonseed (WC) and/or calcium salts of fatty acids (CSFA) on dry matter intake (DMI), performance, and carcass characteristics of Bos indicus animals receiving a high-concentrate diet during the finishing phase. On day 0, 96 Nellore bulls were blocked according to initial shrunk body weight (BW; 302 ± 26.7 kg) into group pens (4 animals/pen) and, within blocks, pens were randomly assigned to receive: 1) 15% of WC and 2% of CSFA [dry matter (DM) basis] of palm, cottonseed, and soybean oil (15WC; n = 6), 2) 10% of WC and 3% of CSFA (DM basis) of palm, cottonseed, and soybean oil (10WC; n = 6), 3) 5% of WC and 4% of CSFA (DM basis) of palm, cottonseed, and soybean oil (5WC; n = 6), and 4) 0% of WC and 5% of CSFA (DM basis) of palm, cottonseed, and soybean oil (0WC; n = 6). Diets were formulated to be isocaloric, isonitrogenous, and isolipidic. Experimental period lasted 108 days, whereas dry matter intake (DMI) was evaluated daily and blood samples and carcass measurements were obtained on days 0, 55, and 108 of the study. Upon slaughter on day 109, steaks were collected for determination of the chemical and fatty acid (FA) profile of the meat. No treatment effects (P ≥ 0.35) were observed on DMI, performance, average daily gain (ADG), carcass ultrasound measurements, and chemical variables of the steak. Nonetheless, including WC into the diets increased C12:0, C16:0, C16:1 trans-9, C17:0, C18:0, C18:1 cis-9, C18:2 cis-9,cis-12, C18:3 cis-9,cis-12,cis-15, saturated, and unsaturated FA intake (P &lt; 0.01). Moreover, adding WC increased DMI fluctuation and feed efficiency (P = 0.03), but decreased marbling (P ≤ 0.03). A treatment × day interaction was observed (P &lt; 0.01) for serum leptin concentration, as 10WC animals had greater leptin concentration on d 103 vs. other treatments (P &lt; 0.01). Regarding steak FA profile, WC addition into the diet increased C18:2 cis-7,trans-9 and C18:3 cis-9,cis-12,cis-15 (P &lt; 0.001), whereas saturated FA was quadratically affected (P = 0.02) and unsaturated FA was reduced for 15WC (P &lt; 0.04). In summary, increasing levels of CSFA into isolipidic finishing diets containing WC did not negatively impact feedlot performance, but reduced feed efficiency and increased marbling scores of Bos indicus bulls, demonstrating its feasibility as a technology to improve carcass traits of low-marbling animals.


2014 ◽  
Vol 92 (3) ◽  
pp. 955-965 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. L. Grion ◽  
M. E. Z. Mercadante ◽  
J. N. S. G. Cyrillo ◽  
S. F. M. Bonilha ◽  
E. Magnani ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-74
Author(s):  
Tony C Bryant ◽  
Josh I Szasz ◽  
Lois F G Pringle ◽  
Eddie Crispe ◽  
K Shawn Blood ◽  
...  

Abstract Ractopamine hydrochloride (RAC) is a β-adrenergic agonist approved for feeding during the last 28 to 42 d prior to cattle slaughter to improve feedlot performance and carcass characteristics. Three thousand crossbred yearling steers (527 ± 2.4 kg; AVG ± SD) were used in two periods to evaluate the effects of various RAC withdrawal times on feedlot performance, health, and carcass characteristics. In Period 1, 6 blocks of 30 pens totaling 1,500 steers were utilized, which was repeated for Period 2. In a randomized complete block design, cattle were assigned to 1 of 5 treatments consisting of 1) No RAC fed (CON), 2) 12-h RAC withdrawal (12-hRAC), 3) 2-d RAC withdrawal (2-dRAC), 4) 4-d RAC withdrawal (4-dRAC), and 5) 7-d RAC withdrawal (7-dRAC). Cattle were fed for a total of 62 d, and applicable treatments were supplemented with 30.0 ppm (dry matter basis) of RAC (average dose = 322 mg per steer per day) for 33 d at the end of the feeding period, corresponding to their respective withdrawal times. Initial body weight (BW) displayed a quadratic curve, with 2-dRAC and 4-dRAC withdrawal periods having the greatest BW. Accordingly, dry matter intake (DMI) responded quadratically (P = 0.034), with 2-dRAC and 4-dRAC treatments demonstrating the greatest DMI. No significant treatment differences (P ≥ 0.641) were observed in final live BW, average daily gain (ADG), or feed efficiency. Alternatively, when using a common dressing percentage to calculate live BW, cattle on RAC treatments exhibited 7.6 kg additional live BW (P &lt; 0.001) compared to CON cattle. Furthermore, carcass-adjusted ADG and feed efficiency did not differ (P &gt; 0.10) between RAC treatments but were improved compared to the CON treatment (P ≤ 0.002). Hot carcass weight (HCW) was on average 4.9 kg greater (P &lt; 0.001) for RAC treatments vs. CON, and no differences were detected (P &gt; 0.10) among RAC treatments. Within RAC treatments, carcass cutability responded quadratically (P ≤ 0.005) to withdrawal period, with the 2-dRAC and 4-dRAC treatments containing more Yield Grade 4 and 5 and fewer Yield Grade 1 and 2 carcasses than the other RAC treatments. On the basis of the results of this experiment, feeding RAC improves dressing percentage, HCW, and carcass-adjusted BW, ADG, and feed efficiency. Furthermore, extending the RAC withdrawal period to 7 d does not have a significant impact on cattle performance or health and has minimal effects on carcass characteristics.


2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 206-213 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pedro Henrique Vilela Carvalho ◽  
George A Perry ◽  
Tara L Felix

Abstract The objectives of the study were to determine the effect of steroidal implants on growth performance, carcass characteristics, and estradiol-17β (E2) concentrations in the blood and longissimus muscle of Holstein steers fed a grain-based diet. Seventy Holstein steers (average initial BW = 275 ± 6.4 kg, 10 to 12 mo of age) were assigned to treatments: (i) implanted with 80 mg of trenbolone acetate (TBA) and 16 mg of E2 (Component TE-IS with Tylan; Elanco Animal Health, Greenfield, IN) at the start of the trial (day 0), and reimplanted with 120 mg of TBA and 24 mg of E2 (Component TE-S with Tylan; Elanco Animal Health) on day 84 of the experiment; or (ii) no implant. Implanted Holstein steers were heavier (P ≤ 0.01) than nonimplanted Holstein steers in the middle (day 84) and at the end of the experiment (day 186). Implanting Holstein steers increased (P &lt; 0.01) average daily gain (ADG) and dry matter intake (DMI) without affecting gain-to-feed ratio compared with nonimplanted animals. Carcasses from implanted Holstein steers had greater (P &lt; 0.01) hot carcass weight (HCW) and longissimus muscle (LM) area than carcasses from nonimplanted steers. Implanting did not affect (P ≥ 0.21) other carcass characteristics. There was an increase (P = 0.03) of 1.3 pg of E2/g of muscle in implanted Holstein steers compared with that from nonimplanted Holstein steers. There was an implant × day interaction (P &lt; 0.01) in serum E2 concentrations. Serum E2 concentrations were not altered in nonimplanted Holstein steers, whereas E2 concentration increased (P &lt; 0.01) after steers were implanted, regardless of implant characteristics. Serum E2 peaked at 28 days after the first implant and then rapidly declined after day 56. In summary, steroidal implants administered on days 0 and 84 increased DMI, ADG, HCW, and LM area in Holstein steers compared with nonimplanted steers due to increased serum E2 concentrations. However, these changes did not improve feed efficiency or other carcass characteristics.


1995 ◽  
Vol 75 (2) ◽  
pp. 255-257 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. A. Goonewardene ◽  
D. F. Engstrom ◽  
D. R. ZoBell

One hundred and twenty commercial feedlot steers were penned and randomly allocated to three treatments: fed once, twice and three times per day, over a grower through finisher period of 196 d. Feeding frequency had no effect (P > 0.05) on average daily gain, feed intake or efficiency overall. We conclude that there are no beneficial effects in feeding a total mixed diet more frequently to feedlot steers. Key words: Feeding, frequency, gain, steers, feed efficiency


1990 ◽  
Vol 68 (4) ◽  
pp. 931-936 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. L. Southern ◽  
A. H. Cincotta ◽  
A. H. Meier ◽  
T. D. Bidner ◽  
K. L. Watkins

Abstract An experiment was conducted with 36 crossbred finishing pigs (18 male castrates and 18 females) to evaluate the effect of bromocriptine implants on growth, feed intake, feed efficiency, plasma urea nitrogen (PUN) and carcass characteristics. Three levels of bromocriptine (0, 5 and 10 mg/[pig·d]) were administered, via implants at the base of the ear, to six (two replicates of three) male castrates or to six (two replicates of three) intact female pigs (2 × 3 factorial arrangement of treatments). Average initial weight of pigs at the time of implantation was 89.7 kg, and the implants remained in the pigs for 28 (replicate 1) or 30 (replicate 2) d prior to slaughter. Gain, feed intake and efficiency of feed utilization were not affected (P > .10) by bromocriptine. Plasma urea nitrogen was lower in female pigs administered 10 mg bromocriptine; bromocriptine did not affect PUN of male pigs (gender × bromocriptine, P < .08). Tenth rib fat thickness and average backfat thickness were lower (P < .06) and percentage of muscling was higher (P < .06) in pigs implanted with bromocriptine. Female pigs had less 10th rib fat but larger loin eye areas and a greater percentage of muscling than male pigs.


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