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Feedlot Performance And Carcass Traits Of Cull Cows Fed For Slaughter, R. H. Pritchard, P. T. Burg
Feedlot Performance And Carcass Traits Of Cull Cows Fed For Slaughter, R. H. Pritchard, P. T. Burg
South Dakota Beef Report, 1993
This trial was designed to evaluate how various factors impact the value added process of feeding cull cows. Specific management criteria evaluated included initial body condition, days on feed, implants, and cow age. Feedlot performance and carcass trait changes due to these factors were compared. Prolonging the feeding period from 50 to 77 or 105 days tended (P=.10) to increase average daily gain and dry matter intake (P<.01) and had no (P>.15) effect on feed/gain. This response is similar to short term adaptation and feeding of young cattle. Added days on feed increased (P<.001) dressing percentage, ribeye area, and ribfat thickness while decreasing (P<.001) lean age. Days on feed did not improve fat color. Older cows gained slower (P<.001) and were lighter muscled than young cows. Longer feeding periods progressively increased the number of high quality carcasses produced.
Genetic Parameters For Carcass Traits In Beef Cattle, D. M. Marshall
Genetic Parameters For Carcass Traits In Beef Cattle, D. M. Marshall
South Dakota Beef Report, 1993
The recent scientific literature was reviewed to summarize genetic parameters for carcass traits in beef cattle. Heritability estimates were generally moderate to large, in agreement with previous literature estimates. This suggests good potential for making change through genetic selection for a given individual carcass characteristic. However, genetic improvement through multiple-trait selection would be slowed by several important genetic antagonisms between traits, suggesting the use of terminal breeding systems with complementary sire and dam genetic types. Individual and maternal heterosis estimates from age-constant analyses were numerically positive and quite large for fat thickness and tended to be numerically positive and small …