HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Cook, A. C. Articles by Dawson, W. M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Cook, A. C. Articles by Dawson, W. M.

Relationships of Five Body Measurements to Slaughter Grade, Carcass Grade, and Dressing Percentage in Milking Shorthorn Steers

U. S. Department of Agriculture

Abstract

This study was based on the data collected on 157 Milking Shorthorn steers bred and fattened at the Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, Maryland. These steers were all fed individually in a record of performance test to a final weight of 900 pounds. Body measurements were taken just before slaughter. Slaughter grade, carcass grade and dressing percentage were taken under comparable conditions on all the animals. In addition to the total group, which varied somewhat in their treatment, a subgroup of the 157 steers consisting of 62 animals which received more uniform treatment was studied.

A considerable number of the correlations between the five body measurements dealt with in this paper and slaughter grade, carcass grade, and dressing percentage were high enough to be statistically significant and of some value for selection in a long-time breeding program.

Conclusions based on results from the group of 157 steers were: Steers of shorter height both at the withers and at the floor of chest, and steers that were shorter in length of body, tended to have slightly higher slaughter and carcass grades and a higher dressing percentage than more rangy steers.

¹ Animal Husbandman, U. S. Department of Agriculture.

² Guest Research Worker from the Civil Veterinary Department, Punjab, India. Acknowledgement—The authors wish to acknowledge the help of Dr. R. G. Schott, Bureau of Animal Industry, in reading and criticizing the manuscript. For cooperation in grading the cattle and carcasses, acknowledgement is also made to L. B. Burk (retired), C. E. Murphy, and M. T. Foster (transferred to Office of Foreign Agricultural Relations) of the Livestock Branch, Production and Marketing Administration, and to R. L. Hiner and M. W. Hazen of the Bureau of Animal Industry. Mr. Hiner also supervised the slaughtering of the cattle and determination of the dressing percentages.