Forty-four Hereford-sired steers were measured ultrasonically for backfat and longissimus muscle area between the 12th and 13th ribs before slaughter and visually appraised for fatness, overall muscling, and frame. Carcass measurements associated with USDA yield and quality grades were measured and recorded. Carcasses were fabricated into closely trimmed, boneless subprimals at 1.27- and .32-cm fat trim levels. Cutability percentage (percentage of retail cuts from the cold carcass weight) and kilograms of retail product were defined three ways. The first definition included only retail cuts from the round, loin, rib, and chuck. The second included the above plus adjusted lean trim from the round, loin, rib, and chuck, and, finally, total retail product from the entire carcass. Kilograms (TOTFAT) and percentage (PERFAT) of trimmable fat were also calculated. Stepwise regression procedures were used for live and carcass trait model development predicting cutability percentages, kilograms of retail product, and trimmable fat. Fat measurements accounted for the largest portion of variation in cutability percentage and PERFAT. Weight measurements accounted for the major sources of variation in predicting kilograms of retail product and TOTFAT. Final models using live animal traits ranked the steers equally as well for cutability percentages as the original USDA cutability equation and stepwise, developed carcass equations (P > .10). Final models using live animal or carcass equations ranked the animals equally for kilograms of retail product yield (P > .10).

Forty crossbred steers (Brahman x English) were categorized into two groups: 1) early weaned (EW; n = 20); and 2) normal weaned (NW; n = 20). Calves were 89 and 300 d of age at the time of EW and NW, respectively; SEM = 4.4. Early-weaned calves were kept on-site (University of Florida, Ona), provided supplement (1% of BW), and grazed on annual and perennial pastures until NW. At the time of normal weaning, all calves were loaded on a commercial livestock trailer and transported to the North Carolina State University Research Feedlot in Butner (approximately 1,200 km). Upon arrival, calves were stratified by BW and randomly allotted to four pens per weaning age treatment. Individual calf BW and blood samples were collected at the time of normal weaning, on arrival at the feedlot (d 1; 24 h following weaning), and on d 3, 7, 14, 21, and 28 of the receiving period. Individual BW was collected at the start and end of the growing and finishing periods, and feed intake by pen was measured daily. As an estimate of stress during the receiving period, plasma was collected and analyzed for the acute-phase proteins, haptoglobin and ceruloplasmin. Early-weaned calves were lighter (P = 0.03) at normal weaning than NW calves (221 vs. 269 kg; SEM = 10.6). By d 28, EW calves tended (P = 0.12) to be lighter than NW calves (242 vs. 282 kg, respectively). Gain:feed was improved for EW compared with NW calves during both the receiving (G:F = 0.157 vs. 0.081) and growing (0.159 vs. 0.136) periods. There tended (P < 0.10) to be weaning age x day interactions for each acute-phase protein. Ceruloplasmin concentrations increased in NW, but not EW calves, and peaked on d 7 (27.6 and 34.2 mg/100 mL for EW and NW calves, respectively; P < 0.05). Haptoglobin concentrations increased in both groups and were greatest (P < 0.05) in NW calves on d 3 (7.63 vs. 14.86 mg of haptoglobin/hemoglobin complexing/100 mL). No differences in ADG or G:F were detected during the finishing phase; however, overall G:F was improved (P = 0.03) for EW vs. NW calves (0.155 vs. 0.136). Carcass measures, including backfat thickness, USDA yield grade, marbling score, and LM area, did not differ between treatments. These data imply that EW calves, which are maintained onsite before shipping, may be more tolerant to the stressors associated with transportation and feed yard entry. Early weaned calves, managed within the system described in this study, may have improved G:F.

Before slaughter, 44 Hereford-sired steers were measured ultrasonically for backfat (UFAT) and longissimus muscle area (ULMA) between the 12th and 13th ribs by three technicians (TECH) using two different machines (MACH) on two consecutive days (DAY). Each TECH interpreted (INT) his own images in addition to other TECH images. The absolute values of the difference between the 2 DAY's ultrasound measurements for ULMA (magnitude of LMAR) and UFAT (magnitude of FATR) were analyzed with a model including fixed effects of MACH and TECH with a random effect of steer and all interactions. For both magnitude of LMAR and magnitude of FATR, MACH x TECH was significant (P < .10). Correlations between the 2 DAY's measurements ranged from .36 to .90 and .69 to .90 for ULMA and UFAT, respectively. Simple statistics to quickly evaluate TECH and MACH were developed. Root mean squared errors (RMSE) and error standard deviations (ESD) between repeated measurements ranged from 3.89 to 11.32 and 3.93 to 11.34 cm2 for ULMA and .12 to .20 cm and .12 to .20 cm for UFAT, respectively. For accuracy, the absolute values of the difference between the ultrasound and carcass measurement for fat (magnitude of FATD) and longissimus muscle area (magnitude of LMAD) were analyzed with a model accounting for fixed effects of DAY, TECH, and MACH and a random effect of steer with all higher-order interactions. For magnitude of LMAD, TECH x MACH was a significant source of variation (P < .001). Also, a similar model was fit that included the fixed effects of TECH, MACH, and INT and a random effect of steer with all interactions. The MACH x INT interaction was found to be significant for magnitude of LMAD (P < .05). From this research, TECH and MACH differences do exist. Ultrasound is a valid means of measuring carcass traits in live steers if appropriate personnel and equipment are selected.

Angus and Charolais heifers (195 +/- 7 kg) were actively immunized against growth hormone-releasing factor (GRF) to evaluate the effect on concentrations of somatotropin (ST), insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), insulin (INS), growth, and onset of puberty. Primary immunizations were given at 184 +/- 7 d of age (d 0 of experiment) by injecting (s.c.) 1.5 mg of GRF-(1-29)-Gly-Gly-Cys-NH2 conjugated to 1.5 mg of human serum albumin (GRFi, n = 22) or 1.5 mg of human serum albumin (HSAi, n = 21). Booster immunizations of .5 mg of antigen were given on d 62, 92, 153, and 251. Antibody binding (percentage at 1:2,000 dilution) to [125I]GRF on d 69 was greater (P less than .01) in GRFi (53.7 +/- 4.5) than in HSAi (10.1 +/- .6) heifers. Serum concentration (ng/ml) and frequency (peaks/5 h) of ST release, respectively, on d 78 were lower (P less than .01) in GRFi than in HSAi heifers (3.3 +/- .1 vs 5.6 +/- .2 and .9 +/- .3 vs 2.3 +/- .2). Serum IGF-I (ng/ml) was lower (P less than .01) in GRFi than in HSAi heifers on d 69 (41 +/- 5 vs 112 +/- 4). Serum INS (microU/ml) on d 78 was lower (P less than .05) in GRFi (2.2 +/- .1) than in HSAi (3.8 +/- .2) heifers. Feed intake, ADG, and feed efficiency were lower (P less than .05) in GRFi than in HSAi heifers. Hip height was lower (P less than .01) and fat thickness was greater (P less than .05) in GRFi than in HSAi heifers by d 132 and 167, respectively. Percentage of heifers attaining puberty (progesterone greater than 1 ng/ml for two consecutive weeks) by d 209 and 379 (12.9 and 18.5 mo of age), respectively, was lower (P less than .05) in GRFi (40.9 and 45.5) than in HSAi (81.0 and 100). In conclusion, growing heifers were successively immunized against GRF. Active immunization against GRF resulted in decreased serum concentration of ST, IGF-I, and INS. In addition, GRF immunization led to lowered feed intake, ADG, and feed efficiency, increased fat depth, and delayed onset of puberty in heifers. We propose that ST and IGF-I are important metabolic mediators involved in the initiation of puberty in heifers.