Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-27T01:45:18.639Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A note on dry-matter intake and composition of gain of Simmental bulls and steers fed to the same weight or age

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

P. T. Anderson ,
D. R. Hawkins ,
W. G. Bergen  and
R. A. Merkel
P. T. Anderson
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, 48824, USA
D. R. Hawkins
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, 48824, USA
W. G. Bergen
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, 48824, USA
R. A. Merkel
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, 48824, USA
Get access

Abstract

Differences in dry-matter intake and composition of gain between 35 Simmental bulls and 35 Simmental steers were examined. All bulls and 15 steers were slaughtered after 167 days on food and the remaining steers were slaughtered after 224 days. Bulls ate more food daily than steers (P < 0·1) but drymatter intake per unit of metabolic body weight (kg M0·75) was not different between groups (T > 0·1). Bulls had greater estimated rates of protein accretion than steers (P < 0·001) but estimated fat accretion rates were not different. These data suggest that voluntary food intakes do not differ between bulls and steers of equal weight and indicate that bulls are leaner than steers due to greater lean tissue accumulation rather than less fat deposition.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 47 , Issue 3 , December 1988 , pp. 493 - 496
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1988

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Association of Official Agricultural Chemists. 1965. Official Methods of Analysis of the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists. 10th ed.Association of Official Agricultural Chemists, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Berg, R. T. and Butterfield, R. M. 1976. New Concepts of Cattle Growth. Sydney University Press, Sydney.Google Scholar
Field, R. A. 1971. Effect of castration on meat quality and quantity. Journal of Animal Science 32: 849–858.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Galbraith, H.Dempster, D. G. and Miller, T. B. 1978. A note on the effect of castration on the growth performance and concentrations of some blood metabolites and hormones in British Friesian male cattle. Animal Production 26: 339–342.Google Scholar
Gettys, T. W., Henricks, D. M., Burrows, P. M. and Schanbacher, B. D. 1987. Partition of food intake between maintenance and gain among bovine sex phenotypes. Animal Production 44: 209–217.Google Scholar
Hankins, O. G. and Howe, P. E. 1946. Estimation of the composition of beef carcasses and cuts. Technical Bulletin, United States Department of Agriculture, No. 926.Google Scholar
Meaker, H. J. and Liebenberg, G. C. 1982. Live and carcass characteristics of bulls and steers castrated at three different ages. South African Journal of Animal Science 12: 375–378.Google Scholar
Raisz, L. G. and Kream, B. E. 1981. Hormonal control of skeletal growth. Annual Review of Physiology 43: 225–238.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Schroeder, A. L., Bergen, W. G., Stachiw, M. A. and Merkel, R. A. 1987. Comparison of commonly used methods of estimating beef carcass composition. Journal of Animal Science 65: Suppl. 1, pp. 260–261.Google Scholar
Seideman, S. C., Cross, H. R., Oltjen, R. R. and Schanbacher, B. C. 1982. Utilization of the intact male for red meat production: a review. Journal of Animal Science 55: 826–840.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Spivey, S. P. and Bergen, W. G. 1981. The effect of frame size and diet on protein and fat gain in young growing bulls. Journal of Animal Science 53: Suppl. 1, pp. 113–114.Google Scholar
Vanderwert, W., Berger, L. L.McKeith, F. K., Baker, A. M., Gonyou, H. W. and Bechtel, P. J. 1985. Influence of zeranol implants on growth. behaviour and carcass traits in Angus and Limousin bulls and steers. Journal of Animal Science 61: 310–319.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed