One hundred twenty crossbred beef steers averaging 377 kg were used in a 2 x 4 factorial experiment to determine the dose-response effects of recombinant bovine somatotropin (rbST) implants on growth performance and carcass characteristics. The implant dosages were 0 (sham), 40, 80, or 160 mg/wk administered s.c. in the tailhead region on a weekly basis throughout the experiment. The steers were fed a high-concentrate diet, which contained either a degradable (DP; soybean meal) or an escape (EP; corn gluten and blood meal) protein source. No dietary protein effect or dietary protein x rbST level interactions were detected. Recombinant bST decreased both DMI (P less than .10) and feed/gain (P less than .05) in a linear dose-dependent manner. Dosage of rbST did not significantly affect (P greater than .10) ADG or final weight of the steers. Recombinant bST decreased backfat depth (P less than .10), marbling score (P less than .05), and quality grade (P less than .10) and increased yield grade (P less than .10) in a linear dose-dependent manner. Soft tissue composition of the 9-10-11th rib section was altered (P less than .01) by rbST administration in a linear dose-dependent manner. The percentage of protein in the rib section was increased by 9.4% and fat was decreased by 11.8% at the 160 mg/wk rbST level compared with the sham-implanted steers. Recombinant bST did not affect (P greater than .10) dressing percentage, hot carcass weight, kidney, pelvic, and heart fat, or longissimus muscle area.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Two corn hybrids (Pioneer 3377 and 3389) with similar total plant and grain yield characteristics were evaluated to determine potential differences in nutritive value of the whole plant and stover. Hybrids were grown in plots at four different locations in Idaho in 1988 and 1989 for laboratory evaluation. Samples from the plots were stored fresh or ensiled with or without a microbial inoculant for 60 d in laboratory silos. Whole-plant samples of 3377 had a lower (P < .01) percentage of NDF (42.7 vs 48.1), ADF (26.3 vs 30), hemicellulose (16.2 vs 18.2), cellulose (21.4 vs 24), and lignin (3.4 vs 3.8). Similar differences, but of larger magnitude, were observed in stover samples. Ruminal in situ (24 h) and two-stage IVDMD of whole-plant and stover samples were greater (P < .01) for 3377 than for 3389. Lower fiber content and greater degradability for 3377 was not due to greater grain content; 3377 actually had numerically lower grain as a percentage of whole plant than 3389 (41 vs 44). Ensiling reduced (P < .05) NDF, hemicellulose, and cellulose content compared with fresh samples; however, no effect (P > .10) due to inoculant was noted. Hybrid x storage interactions were not observed (P > .10). Inoculation and hybrid did not affect (P > .10) organic acid concentration of the silages. In 1989 silages from 3377 and 3389 were harvested to evaluate diets containing 65% (DM basis) corn silage in steer digestion and growth trials.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Ninety crossbred beef heifers averaging 260 kg were blocked by weight and allotted randomly to 15 pens of six heifers each, with three replicates per treatment. The treatments were spayed heifers (S); intact heifers (I); S + Synovex-H7 (SH); I + Synovex-H (IH); and S + Synovex-S7 (SS). The heifers were spayed vaginally with a Willis instrument; intact heifers were rectally palpated for reproductive soundness. Heifers were fed a growing diet (55 d), re-implanted and subsequently fed a finishing ration (73 or 101 d). All heifers were observed for estrus daily at approximately 0600 and 2000 until d 69. A jugular vein blood sample was obtained from each heifer on d 48, 55, 62 and 69 for blood progesterone analysis. Results of blood progesterone analysis and reproductive tract examination indicated that two spayed heifers were incompletely spayed, a 96% success rate. The SH and SS heifers continued to exhibit estrous behavior despite being successfully spayed. Heifers implanted with Synovex-H had greater (P less than .01) ADG and were more efficient (P less than .03) than nonimplanted heifers. The SS heifers had greater ADG (P less than .05) during the finishing phase than SH heifers, but no advantage of SS over SH was apparent during the growing phase. The overall ADG response to implantation was fourfold greater (P less than .07) in the spayed heifers than in the intact heifers (32 vs 8%). Heifers implanted with Synovex-H had greater adjusted hot carcass weight (P less than .02) and ribeye area (P less than .002) than nonimplanted heifers. For adjusted live weight and ribeye area, the response to implantation was approximately threefold greater in the spayed heifer than the intact heifer. These results demonstrate that spaying and implanting heifers can increase rates and efficiency of gain even though behavioral estrus is not eliminated.

No abstract

An experiment was conducted to evaluate ammoniation and temper processing of two barley varieties of diverse types on feedlot cattle performance and diet digestibility. Steptoe (feed variety) and Klages (malting variety) barleys were processed as dry-rolled (DR); tempered and rolled (TR); tempered, ammoniated, and rolled (AR); and tempered, ammoniated, and fed whole (AW). Crossbred steers (n = 240, initial weight 266 kg) were blocked by weight and randomly assigned to one of eight treatments in a 2 x 4 factorial arrangement. Diets contained 30% barley (DM basis) for the growing phase and 85% (DM basis) for the finishing phase. Growing phase ADG and gain to feed (G/F) were less (P < .05) for AW than for DR, TR, and AR. Average daily gain was less (P < .05) for AW than for TR and AR in the finishing phase. There were no differences (P > .05) in ADG or G/F between DR, TR, and AR during growing or finishing phases. Gain to feed was greater (P < .05) for TR and AR than for AW but not for DR for the total trial. Hot carcass weight, longissimus muscle area, and kidney-pelvic-heart fat were greater (P < .05) for TR and AR than for AW. Total finishing diet ADF digestibility was greater (P < .05) for Steptoe than for Klages (40.5 vs 31.4%, respectively). The DR treatment had the lowest ADF digestibility, whereas AR had the greatest (P < .05). Results suggest that there were no differences in feedlot steer performance due to barley varieties of the same bulk density and that barley grain must be mechanically processed for optimal performance response rather than ammoniated and fed as whole grain.